Affronted Affections
by Krilyn
Summary: Athrun and Cagalli find accidental love when they start school at Lunar Prep. Unfortunately, Athrun finds himself competing for her affection and having to prove himself to her overbearing father
1. Arrival and the Rival

Hi Everyone!

I started a new story because… well… I needed a break from my other one. I love it but I don't like always writing sad stories. This is slightly AU in the sense that Athrun and Cagalli will be attending the same school along with other characters from Gundam Seed.

I hope you like it

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or any references made to it.**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #1: The Arrival and the Rival**

"We are pleased to announce that we have now approaching the moon. The temperature is exactly 11C and it is exactly 1.pm. Thank you once again for riding Orb Air and we hope you choose to travel with us again."

A light movement brushed against his arm, causing the young man to stir. Curled up in his chair, head against the window, he blinked a couple of times before it finally occurred to him that he had arrived. As the world gradually fell into focus, he slowly lifted his head to see what was happening.

The narrow aisle way of the shuttle was now jammed with passengers anxiously pushing to get off. The elderly man who had occupied the seat next to him flashed him a toothy grin as he picked up his briefcase and took his place in line.

"Best wake up son," His voice was rough yet kind nevertheless. "We're here."

The young man nodded, understanding nothing of what was being said to him and stretched, scratching the top of his head. His mind seemed to be processing very slowly and he glanced about as if confused for a few brief moments. They were on the moon already? It seemed as if he had just taken his seat to leave the PLANTS.

Yawning, he lethargically pulled himself up to his feet, careful not to strike his head against the low ceiling above. His dark, blue hair fell loosely into his emerald eyes as he took in the situation around him. He sighed when he realized that there was little hope in trying to break the line of people to the exit of the shuttle and simply sat back down in his seat to wait for them to clear.

He gazed dreamily through his window as he snuggled into the soft padded chair as he had while sleeping. Resting an elbow on the arm rest, he peered out at what was to become his home for the next 8 months. A chilling wave of uneasiness washed over him as he shifted to find a more cozy position. The winds hammered against the window causing him to cling to the warmth of his faded, black jacket all the more.

Athrun Zala gulped, trying to repress any sort of anxiety he was feeling. This was no different than the boarding school he had stayed at during his elementary school days. Born in the son of a politician, he had moved from one colony to the other. After that, he had attended a private, boarding school on one of the PLANTS while his father busied himself with his work and his mother cared for the home. He had spent most of the last four years on his own, focusing mostly on school and keeping the odd job here and there. Now, however, all his hard work had paid off for now, he was going to the best private school in the galaxy. The Lunar Preparatory School of Higher Learning was the best school on both the Earth and the PLANTS and offered its students boundless possibilities - Needless to say, it was a little overwhelming.

Just thinking about it made him tremble.

Digging his left hand into his jacket pocket, he frowned as his fingers felt around the edges of a crumpled paper. His fingers closed around it as he pulled it out to take a closer look. Carefully, he began to unfold it sighed as he read it – Directions to LPS.

Straightening, Athrun noticed that the line was coming to an end and quickly stuffed the paper back into his jean pocket. There would be time to read it later. Sliding out from his seat, he grabbed his backpack and, swinging it over his shoulder, took his place in the line to leave the shuttle.

It only took a few minutes before Athrun managed to push his way off the shuttle but the moment he stepped onto the pavement, he found himself being swept away with the crowds. Inhaling sharply, the world around him seemed to blur as directions and signs became illegible. Voices were barking all around him, echoing in his ears and roaring in his head while he stumbled to keep from getting steamrolled by the pressing crowd.

"I hope this is the right way…" Athrun mentally groaned as he tightened his grip on his backpack and picked up his pace. In his mind, he immediately began formulating a list of actions to take. First, he had to find his luggage, secondly he had to get to the school campus and then find his residence… how hard could that possibly be?

In his peripheral vision, the 16 year old caught sight of a large group of people waiting by what seemed to be an open hatch where a man dressed in an Orb Air uniform was busy unloading suitcases and baggage before their watchful eyes. It instantly caught his full attention.

"Sorry … let me through… pardon me," Athrun rambled on with a series of apologies as he squeezed in front of the people standing in the front. Ducking between a couple's arms, Athrun frowned as he swiftly did a visual analysis of the luggage that had already been removed and was lying on the ground. His suitcase had been black but his mother had used tape to write the letters A.Z on it to make it distinct.

"Excuse me!" A lady snapped sharply, violently breaking through Athrun's intense concentration. "Watch it!"

"I beg your pardon?" Athrun gracelessly side stepped to his left and just narrowly avoided being pushed onto the pile of bags himself as the women wrenched forward and heaved her suitcase up and off the ground. The bag swung in the air and Athrun scrambled backward, desperate to prevent being struck in the face.

"Good lord," He muttered under his breath. He wanted to get away from here more than ever. Throwing a passing gaze to his left, he snorted in disapproval at the sign flashing above his head indicating that the shuttle would be leaving shortly for Earth.

"Who would ever want to go there?" He thought and shuddered at the thought. He had briefly studied geography in school and had made the conclusion that the Earth, while beautiful, could be, in some places, wintry and desolate with unpredictable weather patterns – It was a place that he was certain he wouldn't want to be.

Something else caught his eye and his face paled. Across from him, he caught sight of a young man with thick, purple hair, about his age, picking up a particularly familiar bag and moving away. His eyes widened with shock and recognition and for what seemed like an eternity, he just stood there, stunned - watching in disbelief with the understanding that his luggage was leaving without him!

"Hold up!" He cried and, forgetting all the manners and public behaviorisms he had been taught and grabbing his backpack, pushed through the crowds, racing towards his suitcase that was leisurely slipping from his view. Even from a distance he could see his initials on the side of the suitcase as he flew past and through people. The youth in possession of his belongings didn't seem to notice his desperation though as he simply continued to walk towards the bus terminal.

"No, no, no…" He chanted over and over as his expression hardened. He only stumbled once – loosing his balance while trying to hurdle over a young boy and his mother. The older women's eyes flared as she harshly pulled her son against her and spun on her heels, clearly agitated.

At that same moment, he misjudged his footing and his left ankle bent awkwardly as he tripped over the curb. With a startled cry, he fell forward towards the other boy, his arms doing pinwheels in the air as he tried desperately to steady himself.

At that same instant, the other young man turned, obviously hearing Athrun's surprised yelp. Athrun had only a second to overlook the stranger and was surprised to see that he was much taller than him and by far much sturdier. Frantic for something to cling to in order to break his fall, his fingers slipped around one of the straps on his suitcase just as the other boy responded with a harsh tug.

The sudden motion combined with his continuing momentum downward sent Athrun hurdling into the other young man. Athrun was barely able to react as his body connected with the other's and the two of them crashed to the ground. Wincing, Athrun snapped his eyes shut and hissed as a sudden jolt of pain shot up his spine. He dropped his backpack and felt as if he had exploded. When he hesitantly opened his eyes, he grimily realized that he had.

All the contents of his backpack were resting on his stomach, pinning him to the ground while his suitcase had landed a few feet away. What hadn't emptied onto him was now dispersed along the road side. That wasn't the only thing that caught his attention though. Panicking, Athrun grunted as he pushed his belongings off his chest and sat up. His eyes widened as he realized that the other boy was recovering and now starting to pull himself to his feet.

"What is your problem!" He exploded as he dusted off his jeans and tossed back his head. Agitated, he picked up his own backpack and frowned when he noticed that his words had had little effect on him. "Why don't you watch where you are going?"

Athrun returned his frown with a confused stare of his own while scrambling to gather his possessions. He struggled to get to his feet and straightened while shifting his backpack on his left shoulder.

"I am sorry," He inwardly grimaced as the words sounded forced and awkward. His tailbone hurt and his eyes narrowed as he noticed the taller boy reach down and grab his suitcase, again. "I didn't mean to."

"What?" The youth shook his head. "What is that suppose to mean? You're sorry? Why were you following me!" Glancing down, he noticed a crumpled piece of paper on the ground and made a motion for it. Athrun's eyes followed those of the other young man and when he realized what he was looking at, he hastily attempted to bend down and pick up his map.

The other boy's fingers found their way around the wrinkled map and picked it up while Athrun's hand grabbed at air.

As the stranger read it, his brow furrowed as he looked up from the paper back at the sheepishly looking young man in front of him. "Going to the prep house?"

"Huh?" Athrun blinked. "What?"

"The school," The other rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "That's where you're off to isn't it?"

Athrun shook his head, not trusting his own voice. He could feel his cheeks redden as he fought to contain himself. He didn't like the way this newcomer was looking at him nor did he appreciate his tone.

"Hmmm," The stranger glanced away, as if considering something before turning back to Athrun. Snickering, he crumpled the paper up into a tight ball and threw it casually at Athrun who scrambled to catch it. "I'm not surprised that they would let people like you in. Coordinators always seem to find their way in here… especially rich ones – Athrun Zala."

Athrun scowled at the way the other boy spoke his name mockingly by mimicking his low and gentle tone. How did he even know his name? Unfolding the paper in his hand he instantly understood – he had written his name on it. With a tight smile, he pointed at his suitcase that was held firmly in the other's right hand.

"If you wouldn't mind giving me back my luggage, I'll be leaving."

"How do you know it's yours?" The other challenged and Athrun's shoulders slumped as the other boy tossed him a smug grin. "I don't see your name on it."

"Well actually it is," Athrun motioned for the boy to look at the letters taped on the side of the black case. "Those are my initials."

"I see," The other boy nodded. "And what makes you think that my name also doesn't start with an 'A' and my last name with a 'Z'?"

"I don't know," Athrun replied a little more tersely than he would have liked. "That, however, is my bag."

"Then where is mine?"

"How should I know?" Athrun unconsciously clinched his fists. This boy was really trying to edge him on and it was taking all the resolve he could muster not to let himself get drawn into a brawl in the middle of the street. He had been raised better than that, or so he hoped. "Perhaps back with everybody else's."

"Or perhaps yours is back there. I say we open it and find out."

"Open it?" Athrun asked and, looking around, he sighed. He really didn't want to open up his suitcase for the public eye but there really didn't seem to be any other options. He cringed when he saw people stare at the two of them curiously as they passed by and could only guess how juvenile they must have looked. It didn't seem to faze the other boy though because he just continued to grin knowingly at him.

"You don't seem so sure," the boy waved a taunting finger at him. "I guess it's not really yours after all."

Athrun crossed his arms and simply shook his head disbelievingly. This was ridiculous. He nodded once and immediately the other boy set the bag down and popped open the snaps that kept it sealed. Athrun flinched at the sharp sound but watched in impatiently to be sure that nothing was stolen. His blood boiled as the boy sifted through his belongings, holding up shirts and other personal possessions for the world to see. He remained still, silently seething until he saw the youth reach for something. Something, while precious, was incredibly embarrassing.

"Hey!" He lunged forward but it was too late.

"This is so cute!" The purple-haired boy snorted before breaking into a deliberately loud laugh. Athrun felt his face flush and his heart clinch in his chest. Lowering his eyes, he growled lowly as the stranger, still snickering, held up his old, mechanical toy dog up for everyone on the street to see.

Athrun swallowed as he found himself gazing down into the button eyes of his first mechanical creation. He could feel other's eyes on him but he refused to look at them. It seemed childish but inwardly he hoped that if he didn't see them, perhaps they wouldn't see him either or just how red his face was becoming.

"Does he have a name?" The stranger jibbed, seemingly amused by all this.

"I think we've established that the bag does undeniably belong to me." Athrun gritted out and angrily snatched the toy dog from the other's hands. Hastily, he jammed it back into his suitcase and reattached the snaps that kept it shut. Straightening, Athrun turned and gradually began to pick up the contents that had spilled from his backpack. His heart thundered furiously against his chest despite his rational mind trying to neutralize the urge to lunge at the guy who had embarrassed him in front of everyone.

"I guess so," The other laughed softly and smirked. "Anything else in there of interest?"

"Why don't you just leave me be?" Athrun shot back as he raised his head to stare the other boy right in the eye. Burning a hole through him with his gaze, he spoke with deliberate slowness. "I've got places I need to go."

"What did you say?" The boy's expression hardened and inwardly, Athrun realized that there would be no backing down from this. If this other boy wanted a fight, Athrun himself had just taken the bait.

"I am certain you heard me correctly," Athrun replied with equal intensity. Looking his opponent up and down, he came to the conclusion that he could most likely best him in any sort of scuffle. Although the other boy was taller by about 3 inches, underneath his bold words, Athrun was positive he was nothing but an overly-vocal coward. His limbs looked stiff and Athrun doubted he had any sort of agility. Athrun wasn't overweight and despite being lean himself, he could only assume that he was much more fit than this arrogant annoyance. "Unless you're hard of hearing which I somewhat doubt."

"Well," The other crossed his arms and chuckled, adding to Athrun's already seething anger. "If you are looking for a bus to the school, they aren't running today because it's Sunday and it's a long walk."

With that, the boy threw his head back and laughed loudly as he strolled down the street. Athrun continued to glare at him, taking note of the name written on the back of the other's backpack – Yuna Saran.

He sighed and wiped his brow. He hoped that was the last he saw of that boy.

Slowly, Athrun unfolded the crumpled directions in his hands and glanced down at them to find his bearings. He was at the shuttle/bus station and the school was on the other side of town. Yuna hadn't been lying – it would indeed be a long walk.

He took a step forward, resolving to make the journey. What other options did he have? Readjusting the grip on his suitcase, Athrun began the hike to his new school. He hoped that registration would go much smoother but, judging how his first day on the moon had begun, he somewhat doubted it.

**TBC**

Well, that's just the start. Athrun will meet up with Cagalli in the next chapter and then the fun begins. I remember the first time I ended up in a new place when I started University... scary stuff lol.

Anyway, thank you for reading and let me know what you think ok? Please review? I know it's still early in the story. This will be my first attempt at a romance-like story… so please don't laugh too hard. -.

Until next time,

Krilyn


	2. Staying the Night

Hi!

Thanks to all who reviewed! It means a lot to me and I love hearing from you!

I wrote this chapter at 11pm so I was kind of tired – please excuse grammar errors… or let me know where they are so I can fix them and not everyone will have to deal with my lousy grammar.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. This chapter was so much fun to write hehe. Please review if you have the time.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or any other references made to the series. The nasty secretary does, however, belong to me. hehe**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #2: Staying the Night**

The walk to the school had been strenuous to say the least. The sky had since turned gray as heavy rain clouds gathered but no droplets had fallen. For that he was grateful but that was about it. Grimly, he had quickly come to discover that he hadn't indicated on his map the 'east' and 'west' of the streets he needed to follow. A trip to the school, which was already a long journey, became even longer as he lost his way several times. By the time he actually reached the campus night had fallen and the school courtyard was all but deserted. There was nobody around to ask for directions to the residences and nobody to help him figure out where he was expected to sign in.

His backpack seemed unnaturally heavy as he shuffled along the paved courtyard surrounded by large, block-like buildings that reached up to the heavens. It was too dark to distinguish between them and Athrun was too tired to really care. All he wanted was to find his dorm room and go to sleep. Even his feet ached and his back was sore from carrying his bag.

A dull light to his left caught his attention and his heart fluttered with hope. Something was actually still open. He quickly checked his watch – 11:30pm. Without thinking any more of it, he sprinted across the courtyard and threw open the door that led into a lonely corridor. He stopped short, taking in the vast emptiness before him. The PLANTS had always been heavily populated and he wasn't use to sparseness that stretched down the hall. All of a sudden, he felt very, very lonely.

Athrun trudged on, listening as his shoes clacked loudly against the tile floor; the sound unnaturally loud to his sensitive ears. His eyes followed the wall, reading the announcements in the dim light. Judging from the financial assistance and registration forms notices that were posted up everywhere he looked, it didn't take long for him to conclude that he was in the administration building.

Athrun stopped at a door with a silver-lined nameplate on it that read "The Registrar's Office." Glancing down, he noticed a torn sheet that had been half-heartedly taped onto the door that had a list of the residences. His eyes narrowed as he swiftly read over the paper.

Attn. New Students

Residence assignment is as follows for this upcoming semester. For those who are returning students, your room has not changed.

Meer Cambell...S R456

Yzak Joule…….R347

Miho Lee………R345

Nina Sanshe…..R466

His name wasn't there.

Athrun blinked, snapping out of his somewhat dazed stupor and hurriedly read over the list a second time. Still, his name wasn't on the list. Somehow, he had been overlooked. Those four names all belonged to new students who hadn't already been assigned rooms and his name wasn't there!

"Damn," Athrun grunted and slumped. It was almost midnight and the campus was practically empty. With his luck, he would probably have to go through all sorts of paper work to get assigned a room and he cursed under his breath softly. He was tempted to rip the sheet right off the door and tare it up into pieces or to hurl his suitcase at the door but none of that would help him. If might have made him feel better but he still wouldn't have a room.

That was when he noticed that there was a light shinning from underneath the door. It was open and that meant that someone was still awake.

Athrun Zala took a deep breath and exhaled nervously as he stared at the door in front of him. The Registrar's Office. Shifting, he glanced down the hallway, scarce of life, animation and people. It was late; night had already claimed the skies and the shadows of darkness seemed to stretch out from the emptied rooms of the corridor. Athrun bit his lip and shook his head, clutching his suitcase tightly in one hand, his map of the campus in the other.

Silently, he cursed the entire resident-assigning process. While they had gladly accepted his tuition payments, the registrar, he assumed, had somehow managed to loose his application for residence and now, after checking to see where he had been assigned to stay, had learned that he had nowhere to go.

He hesitantly placed his suitcase against the wall and allowed his backpack to slip off of his shoulder. Reaching out, he slowly wrapped his hand around the knob to the office and slowly pulled it open, flinching as it creaked.

"Do you think I care what the finance secretary says!"

Athrun drew back in shock as a loud voice from the office assaulted his ears. Cautiously, he slipped in behind the door and closed it behind him. He turned and grimaced at the sight of a young, blond, student in an explosive rage and a secretary who appeared equally annoyed.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Athrun backed away from the two and watched in silence as they two crossed swords. The young girl had shoulder-length blond hair that he guessed had once been in a neatly arranged ponytail for loose strands had managed to escape the hair elastic and fell over her fiery, auburn eyes. Slamming an angry fist on the desk, her voice only increased to rise as she spoke.

"I_ did_ pay my tuition and I am _not_ going to pay it again! Do you think students can afford to cough up $4,000 per semester every time you people miscalculate or forget to cash a check or _loose _a check!" She didn't wait for a response.

"No! They can't! _So_ I suggest that you guys find that check I sent you, cash it and then leave me be!"

"Cagalli Yula Atha," The Secretary said the name as if she was spitting poison. "There are no records of you paying. I'm sorry, but until you do, you can't attend class."

Cagalli shook her head. "Check again. I'm certain I paid. Look under the Y's - my student number is 19945298."

The secretary nodded and it was only when she stood up that she noticed Athrun cowering away from the scene. He had never seen any argument so intense in his life…except maybe when his father engaged in verbal wars with his colleagues. She frowned and didn't hide the disapproval in her eyes or voice as she motioned towards him.

"Have a seat." She grunted. "I'll deal with you when I come back. I'm just going to follow up on a couple things first." The secretary glowered at Cagalli as she finished speaking and headed over to another desk.

Athrun obediently sat down and groaned, checking his watch. It was 11:45pm – his first class was at eight o'clock in the morning. Staring blankly at the floor, he suddenly felt a presence growing near. He straightened and lifting his gaze, found that this Cagalli was staring directly at him.

"Uh, hi," He muttered, not really caring whether he sounded sincere or not.

Cagalli just continued to stare, her eyes looking him up and down and he suddenly felt goose bumps on his skin, concealed only by jacket. "You are the new kid from the PLANTS aren't you? Zala's kid?" She asked.

"Athrun Zala," Athrun corrected sharply. The last thing he wanted was to be known as _Zala's kid _and he had a horrible feeling that if he didn't end it quickly, it would become an academic. His father wasn't the most popular guy around. "And you're Cagalli Yula Atha?"

"Hmm," She snorted almost in disapproval as she took in his somewhat bland appearance. His dark, blue hair was neatly combed and he was dressed in a dark jacket and worn jeans. There was nothing overly special about him… except for his eyes. He wore his entire personality in his deep orbs and looking into them, she saw a thoughtful, honest, trusting and gentile young man who seemed surprisingly sincere. It was almost mystifying and, for a second, she said nothing. He was probably just like all other men though… they were all alike.

"That's right," She finally found her voice and smiled smugly. "So where are you from?"

"Right now I'm living on one of the PLANTS. My family moves around a lot though." He explained softly and shifted awkwardly in his seat. "I got a scholarship to attend school here… and you?"

"Orb," She replied simply. "I came here because it's supposedly the best but you sure wouldn't know it sometimes."

Athrun nodded but said nothing. She was so forth right with her words. She held nothing back and kept nothing secret or suppressed. It was both amusing and frightening at the same time.

"And why are you here at the registrar's?" Cagalli pressed for more information. "Surely a hotshot like you isn't short of cash… I mean _you_ have a _scholarship._"

Her comment was meant to be hurtful and served its purpose. Athrun's face contorted into a look of hurt and confusion. Matching her intense gaze with his own, he shook his head.

"I'm not a hotshot."

"All guys are." Cagalli challenged.

Athrun simply shrugged. "Maybe just the ones in Orb are."

"Why you!" Cagalli leapt to her feet in renewed anger and was about to fire another insult at him before the secretary walked in.

The women noticed the redness in Cagalli's face and quickly averted her attention to Athrun. "How can I help you young man?"

Cagalli's mouth dropped in disbelieve while Athrun's eyes simply widened. For a moment, the three just stared at one another. Motioning towards Cagalli, Athrun finally replied. "She was here before me – you should help her first… I don't mind the wait."

Cagalli's eyes bulged in surprise at his kind gesture.

"Very well," The secretary grunted and turned towards Cagalli. "Somehow you're file now shows you have paid you're tuition. I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Have a good day Miss.Yula Atha."

"Whatever," Cagalli growled and spun on her heels. Her hair swirled gracefully in the air and Athrun watched in silence as she took her leave, slamming the door behind her. He couldn't blame her for being angry. Dealing with secretaries and paperwork was always a nightmare. Most were rude, lazy and never took responsibility for their actions. They had misplaced her file and they had almost forced her to pay her tuition a second time.

"Now," The secretary huffed and pointed at Athrun. "What do you want?"

Swallowing, Athrun mentally prepared a speech, fighting to find the correct words to address his concern without being insulting. "My name is Athrun Zala and it's my first day here," He explained quickly, rushing to get everything out as fast as he could. "I was supposed to be staying in residence but… somehow I haven't been assigned a room… I don't have anywhere to stay."

The secretary gave him a strange look as if to say _"And that's my problem?" _but bit her tongue. "Zala?" She repeated to herself as she typed his name into her computer. "Hmmm… well, you are registered here… that's for certain. The lady you should speak with is Mrs. Prochter and she won't be in until tomorrow around 9am."

Athrun's face paled. He had no place to stay the night! He didn't even know where the nearest hotel was! Frustration and misery were beginning to take hold of him as he looked up at the secretary with pleading eyes.

"Is there nothing you can do for me? I'm not from around here. Where am I supposed to go?"

"The nearest hotel is about five blocks away from here," The secretary suggested and sighed. "I'm sorry Athrun, but I don't have access to the residences and I don't know what rooms are available."

"I see," Athrun muttered more to himself than to her as he mentally began to calculate how long it would take him to walk to the hotel and how much it would cost. With a gloomy sigh, he nodded and picked up his backpack. "Well, thanks for your time."

"I'm sorry." She said again but Athrun didn't bother to answer.

Reaching for the door, he left the office and found himself back in the emptied hallway. His shoulder slumped as he bent down to pick up his suitcase. He had a long walk ahead of him… in the dark, in the cold, alone – he was already homesick.

Straightening, he slowly began to make his way towards the nearest exit. If he had been smart he would have asked for more precise directions but he really didn't feel like going back into the office.

Instead he just walked. Mindlessly, he moved in a straight line, wondering if any other student was having this very same problem. The day had been long and between loosing luggage at the shuttle/bus terminal, butting heads with Yuna Saran and finding out that he had already been labeled as _Zala's Kid,_ he had had quit the day. At the moment, he was seriously considering just blowing the entire Lunar Preparatory School off and catching the next flight home. However, he would never do that… he hadn't been raised that way.

Vaguely, he noticed a sign that read 'exit' in the corner of his eye and smiled bitterly.

He had only taken one step towards the door that lead to the courtyard before he heard familiar footsteps coming towards him, followed closely but a powerful voice calling his name.

"Athrun! Hey!"

He groaned before turning around. He didn't need this. He had enough problems as it was. "Yes Cagalli?" He tried to hide his bitterness and irritation the best he could.

She seemed out of breath as though she had been running and Athrun frowned in confusion as she approached.

"I, um, wanted to thank you for letting me finish with the secretary when she was ready to simply brush me off."

Athrun shrugged. "You were ahead of me."

"Yes but a lot of other people wouldn't have done that," Her expression was a mixture of guilt and nervousness and Athrun couldn't help but wonder what it was she was trying to say.

"I overheard your problem." Cagalli told him solemnly and smiled uncertainly as his head shot up in astonishment. "If you would like… you could stay the night in my dorm."

Athrun raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Aren't there rules against stuff like that?"

Cagalli crossed her arms and smiled mischievously. "Do you really want to walk all the way to a hotel when you don't even know where one is?"

"No," Athrun stated the obvious. "But I don't think that it's a good idea - I don't even know you."

"Oh please," Cagalli rolled her eyes at the dumbfounded, young man. "It's not like we're going to be married. Besides, you know I'm from Orb."

"So what?"

"Never mind," She sighed and threw her hands up in surrender. "I just wanted to help you. It's a long hike from here _and_ it's raining."

Athrun cringed at the mentioning of rain and although Cagalli noticed this, she didn't press the issue. She could tell he was seriously considering it and, holding out her hand, she grinned. "We got off on the wrong foot so let's start again. My name's Cagalli Yula Atha but you can just call me Cagalli. I'm from Orb, and I hate administration and boiled carrots. I like sports, gummie bears and traveling."

Athrun just stared for a moment, trying to make out what she was doing before he took her hand in his and gave it a firm shake. "I'm Athrun and uh… you can just call me Athrun. I also hate administration and early mornings. I like to play basketball, build mechanical pets, sleep and… I actually don't really mind boiled carrots."

Laughing, the two of them left the building and entered the harsh storm. Neither really noticed the rain as they chatted about what life was like in their respective homes and what they hoped to get out of school. By the time they reached their dorm both felt as though they had known one another for ages.

As Cagalli quickly cleared a spot on the floor for Athrun to sleep, she couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Suddenly, life to her didn't seem so bad. Not all men were nasty, self-absorbed morons and for whatever reason, she actually liked Athrun.

Athrun thanked her profusely as he opened his suitcase and spread out his sleeping bag on the floor beside her bed while placing his belongings in the corner. He didn't bother changing as exhaustion was beginning to take a hold on him and the need for sleep was overpowering. Cagalli scampered off to the bathroom to change and then hurried back, carrying her clothes in her arms.

Athrun got settled on the floor and watched in silence as Cagalli wrestled with dresser, trying to fit some of her clothes into a single drawer and having little success. Cocking his head to the left, Athrun wondered sleepily how long it would take before she realized that there were three drawers she could use.

"Why don't they make these drawers bigger!" Cagalli wailed as she kicked the bottom drawer with her foot and yelped when she stubbed her toe. "I'm tired and I want to go to sleep! How am I supposed to fit all my stuff in such a small space?"

Athrun didn't answer, afraid of pointing out the obvious solution.

"Athrun?" Cagalli's voice snapped Athrun to attention forcing him to look her in the eye. Her eyes were large and it seemed as though you could determine everything about her simply by looking at her. She wore her soul on her face… something that Athrun would never let himself do. There were no secrets, no reluctance… nothing.

"Hmm?"

"Can you believe this?" She demanded and gave her dresser another hard kick. "Stupid thing is too small."

"It has more than one drawer." Athrun observed carefully, motioning towards the dresser.

"Oh," Cagalli looked puzzled for a moment and then turned her attention back to her dresser. Her face flushed a deep red as she realized what Athrun was so delicately trying to point out – she was acting like an idiot. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired I guess… not thinking straight."

"Ah ha…" Athrun tried his best not to let his disapproval show as he leaned back on the floor, resting his head on a pillow that Cagalli had so generously given him for the night. The trip had been long and all the days' excitement was finally catching up with him. His gaze shifted awkwardly as he heard Cagalli fighting with her dresser and groaned. A loud crack followed by a howl caused him to flinch but he didn't bother to look up and see what she was doing. Honestly, he didn't want to know.

"Oh come on!"

"Stupid thing!"

"Get. In. There!"

After about 15 minutes of listening to the endless racket, Athrun had had enough. He couldn't sleep, heck, he couldn't even think! Slamming his fists on the floor, he sat up and tossed Cagalli a mildly annoyed glare. He appreciated her letting him spend the night but her kind gesture would be meaningless if she didn't let him sleep.

Cagalli must have heard him because she stopped what she was doing and looked over at Athrun, confused. "Something wrong?"

"Why don't you just put your clothes in _all _the drawers instead of just one?" Athrun asked, testily.

"Too late!" Cagalli laughed lightly and flashed him a smile that made his heart skip a beat. "Problem solved."

Athrun glanced over Cagalli's shoulder and frowned when he saw all of her clothes pilled up on the dresser rather than in the drawers. Socks were strewn along the aisle way and that day's wet clothes sitting in a pill in the middle of the room. He could foresee her tripping over it in the future. His left eyebrow rose skeptically and he looked questionably at Cagalli, unsure what to say.

"It's solved?"

"Yep!"

Athrun nodded, that look of utter disbelief never leaving his face. His mother would have killed him if he had dared to leave his attire in such a state. Still, what could he say? Nothing. That was the usual conclusion he came to and the usual course of action that he took when he found himself in situations such as this. Despite her lack of appreciation for tidiness and her forthright spirit, Athrun liked her.

Without thinking about the consequences, he nestled into his warm sleeping bag. He could vaguely hear Cagalli shifting on her bed, trying to get comfortable. He let out a sigh and listened to the rain as it hit struck the roof of the residence, thinking that he could have been out there.

"You know something?" Cagalli voice interrupted his thoughts. "You're alright Athrun."

"Alright as what?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat up. "Alright for a 'hotshot' you mean?"

"No," Cagalli laughed and playfully threw a pillow at him before turning serious. "Alright as a friend."

**TBC**

I had a lot of fun with this chapter. Personally, I don't like secretaries or administration – have had bad experiences with them every time I needed to deal with them lol. I figured that wouldn't change in the GS universe. It was so nice to write Cagalli as a cheerful person as opposed to the overly concerned orb leader thati've made her in my other story - i like that side of her too but it's fun to explore the characters.

Thank you for all the lovely reviews! I'm a slow writer sadly – I like to establish everything before getting on with the main plot but I promise things will pick up in the later chapters. -

Thanks again! Please let me know what you think, what I should change or any improvements you would like to see – I know it is early but it does help.

Until next time,

Krilyn


	3. First Day

Hi again! Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad you like the story so far! This chapter just sort of sets the stage a bit – I had to introduce a few important characters so bare with me. Anyway, please let me know what you think ok? This chapter is a bit long but… you won't mind ne? Better too long than too short.

As I mentioned, this story is a little AU (Seeing how many captains and such are going to be teachers ) – I needed characters lol. The politics are going to stay the same though… or at least I will try to leave them as such.

Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny or any references made to either.**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #3: First Days**

When Athrun woke up the next morning, he felt as if he hadn't slept at all. His head was pounding and he felt terribly stiff. His skin was clammy to the touch and he felt grubby as his damp clothes stuck to him like a second skin. He groaned, his eyes flutteringly open painfully as the sun's rays from the window rained down upon him, blinding him.

Athrun shied away from the light and with an exaggerated moan, he forced himself to sit up. His world shifted and he collapsed back down to the floor. Lank strands of hair fell in his eyes but he didn't bother to wipe them away. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was. Closing his eyes, he felt the memories come back in a rush. The collision with the boy at the terminal, being overlooked in the residences, the girl at the registrars, spending the night with… what was her name?

He rolled over onto his side and used his arms to push himself up to his elbows. He could hear a soft whistling sound and when he looked over at the bed beside him, he realized that she was still asleep.

_Cagalli…_

Now he remembered. She was from Orb. Scratching the back of his head, he stood up and stretched. He felt grungy and silently cursed himself for not having enough sense of mind to change clothes before going to sleep. If only he hadn't been so tired. His stomach growled and his face flushed when he heard Cagalli shift beneath her covers. It had been at least 15 hours since he had last ate and he wished he knew the school campus better than he did. At least then he would know where to find something to satisfy his raging hunger.

His eyes spotted a clock hanging in the far corner of the room and he jolted in alarm, suddenly loosing his appetite. Breakfast would have to wait. The clock read 7:50 and his first class was scheduled for eight o'clock. He was going to be late.

"Oh great!" Athrun muttered as he kicked his sleeping bag away from his feet, staggering to the left as he did so. He didn't have the time to change, or time to shower, or even run a comb through his hair. Stumbling around the room, he found his backpack. He briefly checked to see if he had any notepaper in it before throwing it over his shoulder and charging for the door, all while attempting to tie up his running shoes.

"I'm never going to make it. I… wah!"

Hopping on one foot as he tied the laces of the shoe on the other, he stepped on the pile of clothes that Cagalli had left discarded in the middle of the room. His foot flew out from underneath him and he let out a surprised cry as he came crashing down to the floor. He landed on his rear and hissed as his tailbone struck the unforgiving floor.

The sound echoed loudly in the small, square-shaped room and Cagalli awoke with a start. She almost jumped out of bed as her head flew up in alarm, eyes wide. She relaxed when she saw Athrun scrambling to pick himself up from the floor and frowned. He looked awful. His hair was frayed and frayed and tangled and his clothes still looked damp as they clung to his slender frame. She felt her cheeks flush as she noted how the fabric accented his trim figure and toned muscles. That's when she realized that he was still wearing what he had had on the day before.

"Hey," She yawned and shook her head to clear the cobwebs. "Athrun? What are you…"

"I'm sorry, I have to go – going to be late," Athrun got the words out in a rush as he staggered towards the door. He had given up trying to tie his shoes. Throwing the door open, he rushed out, his voice echoing down the hall. "Thanks for your help!"

Cagalli opened her mouth to reply but closed it when she realized that he was already gone. She stretched her arms and shuddered, loosening her stiff muscles. She didn't have class until nine and smiled softly to herself. A nice, warm shower seemed appropriate. Slowly, she slid herself out from beneath her covers and stood up. Glancing out the window, an amused smile split her lips. She could see Athrun's mop of messy, blue hair as he sprinted frantically across the campus towards the lecture halls in the distance. It was a good 15 minute walk to get there and she knew that there was no way he would make it on time.

"Strange guy," She thought to herself and chuckled. Thinking little more of it, she floated across the room to grab her towel and the bottle of shampoo on her dresser. Her bare foot brushed up against something and she stopped short, dropping her gaze to see what she had bumped. Her room was messy, yes, but Cagalli liked to think of it as an organized mess. She knew where everything was this way and something, in her organized mess had been moved. She cocked her head, confused, before her head flew up and she turned back towards the window. It was Athrun's suitcase.

"He…" She couldn't believe it. "He left his stuff here…"

Meanwhile, Athrun blasted through the doors that lead to the main lecture hall and sped down the hall. His arms pumped wildly as he strained to read the room numbers. First he had to visit the principal and formally check and then he had to find his first class. It was advanced physics – perhaps his best subject. He'd always been fascinated by the movement of objects and the science behind it. At heart, he was an engineer though his parents would never allow him to pursue what they felt to be a lowly career path. They had his future already planned out. He was to follow the footsteps of his father and expected to indulge in the world of politics. For his parents, nothing was ever good enough. Most people would have been flattered to have a child with straight A's, an athletic scholarship to the Lunar Preparatory School and one who had never been seen as a troublemaker. Yet, all of this was almost expected of him and they would always raise the bar just a little higher, making it impossible for Athrun to reach it.

Lost in his thoughts, Athrun didn't notice that he was about to bump into someone until he actually did. His backpack fell to the ground and he looked up at the person he had just collided into. It was a boy about his age with short, brown hair and wide, amethyst eyes. Like him, he too had a backpack and also looked to be in a hurry. The boy wrinkled his nose at him as if disgusted and swiftly continued down the hall.

"Sorry." The teen mumbled quietly.

Athrun's heart soared with hope. Perhaps this boy could tell him how to get the to principal's office. "It's not your fault. I wasn't watching where I was going. My name is Athrun and I was wondering if…"

His voice died in his throat as he saw the boy walk around the corner and disappear into another corridor. "You could tell me where if it." He finished and signed. Reaching down, he snatched up his backpack and continued on his way. By now he had given up trying to get to class on time.

Eventually, he did manage to find the principal's office although he almost wished that he hadn't. He finished his meeting with her rather quickly and could tell that she didn't like him before he even opened his mouth. He knew she saw him like all the other teachers in his life had. With his last name being what it was and his father being who he was, many took an immediate dislike towards him. After reaching his school records, he was certain that she had already warned the school's staff about having Patrick Zala's boy on campus. Upon taking his leave, she smiled coldly at him and informed him that if he slipped up even once, either in grades or behavior, she would have him expelled without a second thought.

What a witch. She was worse than his last principal. At least that last one had at least made an attempt to hide his contempt for Athrun's father. This lady was blunt and up front about it. She didn't like Patrick Zala or his policies and she wouldn't like him either.

After the meeting, he was shown to his class. Walking into the middle of the lesson created quite a disturbance and gave the other students an excuse to start making noise as they stared and talked about him. The principal, who he had come to know as Ms.Badgiruel, quieted down the class and turned to him, demanding the he introduce himself.

Introduce himself? Athrun felt his mind go blank as all eyes fell on him and he swallowed. What was he supposed to say? Suddenly very self conscious and aware of his less than presentable appearance, he shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, I'm Athrun."

"This is Athrun Zala," The principal rolled her eyes at him and motioned for him to take a seat beside a boy with purple hair. Athrun's eyes widened in disbelief and for a second, he was frozen in place. It was the same boy from yesterday… Yuna! As Athrun moved reluctantly towards his seat, she continued. "He just arrived from the PLANTS and will be spending the semester with us… maybe even longer. Now, I will leave to your lesson."

Athrun shifted uncomfortably in his chair, pretending not to notice as Yuna leaned into him and whispered into his ear. "That seat is already spoken for, Zala. I suggest you move."

The request wouldn't have been a big deal if not for the fact that there were no other empty chairs in the hall. Athrun watched as the Ms. Badgiruel stalked towards him and tensed. She had her eye on him. He could feel it and it was almost as if she expected him to step out of line.

"There is no assigned seating." Athrun hissed back and fired Yuna a glare that silently spoke the words _back off._ He shifted his attention away from the other boy and reached into his backpack to pull out a blank sheet of paper and a pen. At the very same instant, Yuna twisted his left foot around one of the legs to Athrun's chair and pulled back as hard as he could. As intended, the other boy stumbled out of his chair and crashed to the floor half-in and half-out of the aisle way just as Ms. Badgiruel was walking past him.

The class erupted in laughter and Athrun felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. Pushing himself up, he scrambled to get back up to his feet and pulled his chair back underneath him before sitting down. Fingers pointed and voices snickered as Athrun sunk further into his chair under the intense gaze of the principal. Damn this Yuna Saran. What had he done to deserve that?

"I see you are a bit of a class clown." The woman observed coldly. "That was to be expected though."

"What? No, I…"

Athrun started to protest but she waved him off. "Congratulations Mr. Zala. You have just earned yourself a week of lunch duty. I can't think of a better way to start off the semester can you? After class you will go the cafeteria and find Mr. La Flaga – he will instruct you from there. I will be checking with him after lunch to make sure you served your time." She leaned down and forced her face into his, causing Athrun to recoil slightly

"Yes Ma'am," He muttered under his breath and lowered his gaze, looking remorseful. In fact, he wasn't remorseful at all. He was angry. Once Ms. Badgered had moved past his row, he turned and shot Yuna a hard glare before settling down and focusing on the remainder of the class. Lunch duty? Why had he even bothered getting up at all?

Lunch duty, in fact, wasn't too bad. Actually, it was almost enjoyable. All it entailed was preparing the food for the students in the cafeteria for the lunch break. At first it hardly seemed like a punishment as far as Athrun was concerned. He took pleasure in cooking back home and his mother had done well to teach him how to prepare several dishes. None of course tasting as good as he own but it was the effort that counted.

That day, hamburgers just happened to be on the menu.

The only thing about lunch duty, he quickly learned, that could be seen as punishment was working with a hot-tempered, red-head named Flay. She road him hard and it was beginning to get on his nerves. It hadn't helped that he had accidentally mispronounced her name when Mr. La Flaga introduced them to one another. At least there was another boy that he could share his misery with. The same boy he had bumped into earlier – Kira Yamato.

"Single!"

"I need a double right away!"

"Come on you two hurry it up!"

Beads of sweat rolled down his moist forehead from the heat radiating off the grill to which he had been confined to as he hastily flipped the sizzling beef patties over. With a quick motion of the wrist, he expertly tossed one patty on top of another and pressed it against the side of the grill to drain any excess liquids before placing it on the awaiting burger bun. His actions were swift yet precise as he then sliced into another patty to ensure there was no pink before stepping over to his right and placing it on the second sandwich maker's bun.

While he did so, Kira busily laid more raw meat onto the grill to compensate for the ones that were disappearing to the hungry stomachs that came through the cafeteria line.

"I need another single and a triple!" Flay, who had just received two patties for her double burger barked sharply and threw the Athrun an impatient glare. "Hurry it up!"

Athrun turned his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he fired a warning look at the girl who's nametag read "Flay Allster" before turning his attention back to his slowly burning meat patties. Sweat and perspiration from the heat dampened his tangled locks of blue hair as thin strands from his bangs fell into his eyes, slightly obstructing his vision. Flipping the meat quickly, Athrun piled four patties onto his flipper before trying to squeeze past Kira, who was preoccupied with laying more meat on the grill.

The line of hungry students was rapidly growing longer and he knew that if he didn't pick up the pace, Mr. La Flaga would become annoyed and that meant another angry lecture from the already irritated chef.

Flay, however, didn't seem to share Athrun's concern for as he was about to slide the patties onto her hamburger buns, she put her arm between him and the buns and tossed her head back knowingly. "Did you check to make sure that they were finished?"

"They are cooked," Athrun assured her through clinched teeth, his eyes watching as more students entered the lineup.

"You have to check anyway," Flay declared and motioned towards his grill with her head. "We can't have people getting sick. No pink – that is the rule."

Her voice picked up volume with each word and Athrun's expression darkened as he felt the attention of the other students working in the cafeteria turn to him. Aggravated by Flay's determination to embarrass him, Athrun let out some of his anger as he turned around sharply, almost pushing Kira's head into the grill and slammed the patties down onto the scorching surface and brought down the corner of his metal flipper into them. The force that he had put into the motion drove the corner of the flipper right through all four patties and checking briefly he then picked them up once more.

He wasn't new at this. He had cooked hamburgers on a grill before and he knew that the top of the grill cooked faster than the bottom. He had taken the patties at the bottom of the grill first and had checked them for any signs of pink before serving them and there had been none. Therefore, it was only logical that the ones at the top and hotter section of the rectangular grill, having been laid at the same time, would also be ready to serve. Yet these were the ones that Flay had openly demanded he check.

"Remember to check _all_ the patties before you serve them," Flay continued as Athrun carefully set the patties onto her burgers so that they were perfectly square. His cheeks had turned a dark shade of red yet his anger was easily misread as a reaction to the heat from the grill.

As he stepped away, he heard Kira snicker softly.

"That's right, Athrun, we don't want anyone dying in the cafeteria."

"Uh huh," Athrun nodded calmly and glanced up so his eyes met those of the shorter girl. "Nothing worse than an uncooked burger on a stale bun with old lettuce."

Brutally wrapping her burgers in wax paper, Flay fired a look that could melt ice at the two boys. "My buns are fine and my lettuce is NOT old."

Athrun said nothing and for a moment their eyes remained locked, each trying to intimidate the other before Athrun simply shrugged and turned away. Pretending to be focused on his work, he glanced up longingly at the clock hanging on the wall. It was 11:55 am. In five minutes both Kira and himself would be finished their time in the cafeteria for the day. In five minutes they would be rid of Flay for at least 15 hours before it all started again.

"Five minutes," He muttered so only the shorter boy could hear. "Five minutes and we are out of here."

Kira's lips twitched as a small smile split his features and he nodded as Athrun returned a small grin of his own. "Hang in there, we've almost finished putting in our time here for the day."

Athrun acknowledged him grimly and wiped his brow on the sleeve of his shirt. It was always the same… those last five minutes seemed to last for an eternity.

"I gave you $20."

Athrun's head shot up as he heard the sound of an angry teacher. Throwing a glance to his left, his expression softened as he his eyes fell upon the young girl at the front cash register. She was short with blond hair and…

His eyes widened. It was Cagalli! Why hadn't he noticed this before?

"I…. I am sorry," Cagalli stuttered, her face paling as she faced the angered teacher. "But my screen says that your meal costs $7.18 and I gave you $12.62… You aren't being over-charged. Take a look at the screen."

"This is ridiculous" The man roared and slammed his fist on the counter. "You owe me 20 cents! Can't you count girl? That's the problem with your generation, so dependent on technology you can't even do simple math."

Had it been a fellow student, Cagalli would have told them to get lost. This, however, was a teacher. She nervously looked from left to right at the surprised faces of the other students waiting in line and Athrun's heart sympathized with her as many of them began whispering to one another while keeping their attention on her. Perhaps what disgusted him more was that none of the other students would step up and help her. Not Flay, who seemed so quick at finding and promoting the errors of others and not even Mr. La Flaga who put so much emphasis on team work and good service.

With a sigh he reached back with his free hand and dug into his back pocket. Quickly, he did some brief arithmetic in his head and stepped forward. "You are right," He told the man and held out his hand to him. Maintaining firm eye contact with the fuming man he opened up his palm, revealing two shinny dimes. "There's a glitch in the register, it isn't her fault… here is the rest of your change."

There was a pause and for a moment, the teacher seemed almost hesitant to take the money. His expression softened as he hastily snatched the two coins and jammed them into his coat pocket. He grabbed his order tray and stormed off, mumbling something about stupid teenagers.

Cagalli remained frozen, astonished by how quickly Athrun had defused the escalating situation. "Thank you," She managed to squeak and sighed. "Some people just should be allowed to teach. Did you see the way he blew up at me? Sheesh!"

Athrun blushed and as he returned to tend to his grill, he noticed that Flay was watching him again. With a low groan the slim, youth let out an exasperated sigh. "Now what's wrong?"

"You left your position." Flay retorted acrimoniously. "You are to stay at your grill until told otherwise by Mr. La Flaga… what if I needed a burger?"

"Then I would've got it for you," Kira piped up, immediately coming to his Athrun's defense. "That's why there are two people controlling the grill."

"You lay raw meat," Flay snapped. "Athrun is supposed to serve it… it's his job to provide the patties for my burgers."

"Well you can get your own meat now," Athrun set his spatula down. "My shift is done."

Not wasting another word, Athrun spun on his heels and darted off towards the backroom before Flay could protest or call upon Mr. La Flaga. Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his moist, dark hair and flexed the muscles in his stiffening arms.

Behind him, he could hear Kira's footsteps right on his heels while Flay's voice echoed loudly in his eardrums.

"You can't leave before Mr. La Flaga says you can!"

Kira laughed lightly as the two boys made their way to the small lounge behind the cafeteria reserved for the workers, which consisted of a unisex washroom, a small table, two chairs and a bulletin board.

"I can not stand her," Athrun moaned under his breath as he entered the washroom, closing the door behind him. "And to think I have another four days of this?"

"She makes life interesting," Kira agreed as he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and pulled one arm through it. "She started here last semester and they gave her a part-time job in the cafeteria. Partly because she is a good worker, partly because she guarantees the students sent here for 'lunch duty' a miserable time. The lunch duty isn't the punishment – working with her is."

Athrun's bottom lip twitched. "What did you do to end up here?"

Kira shrugged and picked up his backpack. "I got caught talking in class. I was actually asking my friend Milly a question but… it didn't really matter. Anyway, I have to get to my next class – I'll see you tomorrow ok?"

The taller boy chuckled and waved goodbye as Kira exited through the door that lead to the main hall. Still flushed from the heat of the grill, Athrun sniffed the air and realized that he smelt of charred meat and his clothes were clammy with sweat. He was relieved though. At least he now had an excuse for his somewhat disheveled appearance. As he threw his backpack over his shoulder and made a move to leave, he straightened when he saw that Cagalli was also leaving.

She turned around when she heard him approaching and flashed him a bright smile. Again, Athrun's face grew red and suddenly he felt a little bashful. "Hi!" She grinned and cocked her head towards the tables on the other end of the cafeteria. "Thanks for your help earlier. Sometimes, my job isn't easy."

Athrun blinked. "Uh, you work here?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it's easy money. Flay and I are the only students actually paid to work in the cafeteria." She tossed him a teasing smirk before continuing. "You must have done something pretty awful to get put on café duty."

"Not really." Athrun replied shortly and followed her as the two started to leave the food preparation area. He made a note of getting put on lunch duty more often. His heart beat loudly against his chest as he wondered whether or not Cagalli had eaten lunch. He certainly hadn't anything since yesterday. He bit his lip, willing himself to ask her if she wanted to eat with him.

_Come on stupid._ He scolded himself. _Open your mouth. Ask her. You've eaten lunch with lots of girls before. What is wrong with you?_

Before he could ask Cagalli anything, his ears picked up on a familiar and annoying set of heels as they came towards Cagalli and himself. Straightening, Athrun spun around to face the person who seemed relentless in her pursuit to humiliate him.

"You shouldn't have left your position," Flay declared, stepping forward. "I spoke to Mr. La Flaga about it and he agrees that both of you should stay until you are dismissed."

Looking up, Cagalli watched with uncertainty as Athrun sighed and dug his hands into his jacket pockets. She noticed the shrewd look that was beginning to emerge from behind Athrun's polished emerald eyes.

"Really?" Athrun cocked his head to the left and raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Flay demanded hotly.

"Well," Athrun threw her a knowing smirk before he continued. "I am officially done for today, however, you are not _and_ you aren't at your sandwich station. What if you had burgers you had to prepare?"

In unison, as if on cue, the three turned towards the empty aisle way that led to the cash register and Cagalli groaned. Flay and Athrun were engaged in a war of wills, one always trying to crush the other while the other resisted with vigor. For the entire lunch, Athrun had refused to endure the verbal abuse that Flay constantly threw at him and Flay was not prepared to be out-witted by the new, rich-man's son.

"There are no students to prepare burgers for," Flay pointed out bluntly and shook her head. "If there was someone then I would go back to my station but at the moment I am not required to do so."

She was right. Everyone who had wanted to food from the cafeteria had already been served.

Athrun nodded and turned his head slightly so he could see Cagalli out of the corner of his eye. She had remained silent throughout the entire ordeal and when he caught her gaze, Athrun motioned towards the menu board above. "I don't know about you Cagalli, but I'm hungry. I mean, after putting in a hard three hours of work… I think we deserve a bite before we leave hmmm?"

Cagalli smiled deviously and acknowledged Athrun with a slight nod. "Sounds good to me."

"There," Athrun stated bluntly, a small smile spitting his handsome features. "It looks like you have two guests now Flay so you better get back to your position before someone tells Mr. La Flaga."

As his words hit her, Athrun was almost positive that her face could not become more crimson, burning with anger. He had beat her at her own game and she knew it… they both knew it.

"You think you are so smart don't you?" She sputtered her body trembling with rage. "But you're not, Athrun Zala, and that showy attitude of yours is going to get you into trouble!"

Neither Cagalli nor Athrun heard her though as the two had already left the front line, laughing and snickering lightly. They staggered out into the cafeteria, fully aware of the flaming glare that was vaporizing them from behind the counter.

"Come on," Athrun pointed to a table in the far corner and pulled lightly on Cagalli's jacket to catch her attention. "Let's go."

"Go?" Cagalli frowned. "But I thought we were going to get something to eat?"

Athrun smiled and glanced over his shoulder at a fuming Flay. "Nah, I changed my mind."

Cagalli chuckled, as she followed her friend out towards the table to take a seat and eat the lunch that she had brought over from residence. Athrun was different from the other boys she knew. He fought fire with fire and beat people at their own game – just as he had demonstrated with Flay. Impressed, she could only imagine how Flay would be tomorrow and just hoped that Athrun would be on his toes.

**TBC**

I wrote this up quick so I am sorry if there are errors. Let me know if you find them and I will correct them right away.

Anyone who has worked in a fast food restaurant surely can sympathize with Athrun here – some people who work there are just so mean to the other employees! Anyway, in the next chapter it gets much more interesting. As I said, I just had to introduce Kira, establish the setting ext. Hope you liked it! I like writing this sort of thing. Dearka, Yzak, Lacus and others will be arriving soon.

Please review ok? I love hearing from you. Thanks for reading.

Until next time,

Krilyn


	4. This Feeling

Hi again!

Thanks to all who reviewed!

For those who asked, the characters are going to be 16-17 ok? Oh! And on the moon, for the sake of the story, it's legal for them to drink.

Kira and Cagalli (to me anyway) will always be brother and sister but because this story doesn't really focus around them too much, I'm not going to really address that. Sorry for the confusion. I wrote this half-asleep so please excuse the grammar errors.

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny or any other references made to it.**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #4: This Feeling**

Athrun sat across from Cagalli in the cafeteria, listening to her enthralling voice as she spoke about how everything and anything. Resting his elbows on the table, his gaze never left her beautiful face. She was so full of life that he found himself completely taken by her bewitching ways. Everything about her fascinated him and he felt as though he could listen to her for hours.

"Anyway, I don't want to talk your ear off," Cagalli tossed her head and leaned forward so her face was just inches from his. "Why don't you tell me about you? You said you move around a lot in the PLANTS. What's it like?"

"What's what like?" Athrun didn't understand. "You mean moving around all the time? It gets lonely." He saw no reason to lie about it. He'd long since given up trying to establish any lasting relationships with anyone because there was very little point. It only made the next move hurt all the more.

"Oh," Cagalli slumped. She saw Athrun's expression tighten and instantly regretted having brought it up. "Well, at least you have seen a lot of the world. I've only ever lived in Orb. My family visits the PLANTS from time to time but it's not the same as living there."

"I guess not." Athrun chuckled, lightly. He wanted to talk to her. To say something fascinating but for some reason, he couldn't think of anything to say. Was his life really that boring that he had nothing to say when she asked him to tell her about himself? Surely there had to be something he could say that would make him at least appear interesting. Nothing came to mind. He so desperately wanted to impress her but his mind kept drawing a blank.

There was an awkward silence between the two before Cagalli threw a quick glance at her watch. Her eyes widened and she stood up, tossing an apologetic glance at Athrun. "I'm sorry but I have to go to class. Are you coming back to the residence tonight?"

Athrun's jaw all but dropped. She wanted him to come back? His cheeks flushed and he suddenly felt warm. Flustered, he tried in vain to look away from her so she couldn't see the surprise and eagerness in his eyes. The last thing he wanted was for her to know that he had enjoyed spending the night in her room. "Am I coming back to the residence? I… um… I don't know." He managed to squeak out. "I guess I should see about getting my own room…or at least being assigned to the boy's wing."

"Why?"

He looked up her, shocked. "Why?" He felt like a parrot, echoing every word she said. "I don't think I can very well stay in the girl's wing and I don't want to intrude…"

"Oh don't be stupid," Cagalli laughed and winked at him, playfully. "Besides, administration is always slow. Where are you going to stay while you wait for them to decide where to place you?"

"I don't know."

"You left your stuff in my room," Cagalli pointed out suddenly. She watched as Athrun squirmed in his seat. For some reason, she enjoyed seeing his wriggle uncomfortably and something about him amused her. For one who said so little, there was so much about him that intrigued her. "I'd say it's settled."

Before Athrun could answer, Cagalli skipped off and disappeared behind the doors that lead to the main corridor of the building. He let out a heavy sigh and averted his gaze from the doors. His senses were tingling and he shuddered as his heart skipped a beat. Rolling up his sleeve, he gasped. He had Goosebumps. All along his left arm the small bumps prickled his skin. He turned back to the door that Cagalli had just disappeared through, confused. What was this tingling sensation that he felt? What was it that warmed his heart every time she smiled at him? Why couldn't he stop thinking about her?

"_Stop it,"_ Athrun shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. "_You're acting like a child. Chasing a girl you don't even know? What has gotten into you?"_

Deciding it best to inquire about getting his own room after all, Athrun made his way back to the registrar's office in hopes of seeing this Ms. Procter who was supposedly in charge of the residences. He hoped that she was more approachable than the principal. Unfortunately, he never actually did meet her.

"What?" Athrun's eyes narrowed as he found himself staring at the same secretary he had spoken with the night before. She didn't seem to recognize him though as she just continued to type away on her computer after bluntly informing him that Ms. Procter had been pregnant, went into labor that morning and when she would return to work was undetermined… as was who was going to take over her responsibilities.

Athrun's hands clinched into fists as his patience had been pushed beyond the breaking point. His words were like ice as the forced them out through gritted teeth. He tensed, resisting the urge to throw his backpack at this impossible woman. She didn't even care. That's what really bothered him. She could care less if he slept on the street!

"Are you telling me that because some lady is laid up with a baby somewhere, you can't assign me a room? A room that I paid for? A room that is supposed to be provided to every student that isn't from around here!" His voice rose as did his anger and frustration. "Why can't you just look up her files and put my name under a vacant room?"

"Because it is not the easy," The secretary snapped. "Listen, Athrun. Once we know who is covering for Ms. Procter we will let you know. You will be our first priority."

"Sure," Athrun grumbled darkly. "I'll be your first priority _when_ you get around to it."

"Now that will be enough!" The secretary finally pulled her attention away from her computer and fired him an irate glare. "You will not speak to me in that tone. I am your elder and you will treat me as such – with respect."

Now Athrun was beyond angry. Stamping his foot resolutely on the ground, he shook his head. "No." He retorted sharply. "I will treat you with respect when you deserve it. As far as I can tell, you've done nothing to help me and aren't remotely interested in doing anything in the near future."

"We can't always have things the way we would like them," She answered, unnerved by the intense look in the boy's eyes. "I can tell that you are conditioned to having things your way. Your parents obviously spoiled you."

Athrun stiffened under the personal attack. This wasn't getting him anywhere and he was wasting his time. Momentarily, he considered going to the principal to see if she would help him but almost laughed at the thought. She didn't like him any more than the secretary did. Defeated, Athrun stormed out of the registrar's office seeing nothing but red. His eyes blazed as he marched down the hall. He felt the students around him moving out of his way as if sensing the aura of rage radiating off of his body but he didn't care. For their sake, with the way he was feeling, it was best if they just stayed out of his way.

For the rest of the day, Athrun went to his classes, still fuming about his predicament. Everyone was treating him as though he was less than dirt. Even dirt would have been given more consideration than he had been! After getting a list of textbooks that he would need to buy for his classes, he made a quick stop at the bookstore. They were sold out of all but one of the books that he needed.

"_Oh I give up!"_ Athrun mentally groaned as he bought the only book that was actually in stock. He then found himself heading back towards the residence and back to Cagalli's room. What choice did he have? As much as he liked her, he felt uncomfortable about settling permanently in the girl's wing of the residence. What would people think if they found out? Of course, he knew the answer to that question.

Another thing had happened that day that had been equally unsettling. He had gone to basketball practice for the first time and while it had been satisfying to bounce the ball up and done the court, a strange girl with long, pink hair had been standing in the bleachers underneath the time clock. – watching him. Every time he happened to look over at the clock, he would notice her waving at him. He honestly had not known what to do so he simply ignored her. That didn't deter her though and he had fumbled the ball several times because of the distraction that she had caused. He'd been able to feel her gaze boring into him and that the look in her eyes had put him on edge.

Upon arriving back at the residence, he was startled but not surprised to find the door to Cagalli's room unlocked. Slipping behind the door, he collapsed onto the sleeping bag that he had left in a heap on the floor and moaned. Rolling onto his side, he glanced up and noticed that his suitcase was lying at his feet partially opened.

From where he was, he could see the head of the toy dog he had made as a young boy peeking out at him. It reminded him of home and he smiled sadly. He missed his mother. Even his father, although, it had always been difficult to communicate with him. Thoughts of his father hardened something inside of him and he stubbornly sat up. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in a small mirror on Cagalli's bedside table and recoiled. His hair was a mess and his clothes were wrinkled and still damp from the previous night, making him feel dirty. Aside from that, the strong odor of charred meat had been absorbed into his clothing and every pore of his skin and he was certain that he smelled horrible.

He rummaged through his suitcase to find his towel, a fresh set of clothes and a bottle of shampoo before checking his watch. It was 2: 45. His last class had finished early and he had fifteen minutes before anyone else would be returning the residences. That meant he had fifteen minutes to shower and clean himself up before any of the other girls on the floor came back from class and before anyone could stumble across him while washing himself.

He hurried over to the door, peeking around the corner nervously to make sure that his calculations were correct before charging towards the bathroom. He almost slipped on the tile floor and gracelessly staggered into the shower stall, frantically closing the door behind him. Breathing hard, he forced himself to relax. This was going to be the fastest shower of his life.

Ten minutes later, he came out of the bathroom, fresh and smelling of honey. He was dressed in a crisp pair of blue jeans and a loose navy shirt that folded up neatly at the collar. Wiping his hair with the now-damp towel he sighed, feeling surprisingly better. With the grungy feeling suddenly gone, he felt much more grounded and much more like himself.

He was just about to re-enter Cagalli's room when he heard a high-pitched, feminine squeal from down the hall. He jolted and nearly jumped into the air, dropping the soiled clothes he'd been wearing moments before to the floor. He bent down and re-gathered them in a hurry as he saw a girl with long, pink hair coming towards him. His eyes widened in recognition and a renewed sense of urgency to get out of the hall overwhelmed him.

"Hey! Athrun!"

Athrun's eyes roll back and heard a mild curse escape his lips. It was the girl that had been watching him during practice. How did she know who he was?

"Athrun!"

Athrun didn't hide the frustration in his eyes as he fired her the hardest, threatening look her could though it did little good. "What do you want?"

"Oh I just wanted to talk to you," The girl laughed a little too loudly, causing Athrun to flush in embarrassment. She was a horrible flirt. "You left pretty quickly… did you not see me waving to you?"

"No," Athrun lied and shifted so that the bundle in his arms was between himself and the obnoxious girl that didn't seem to want to leave him alone. "Actually I didn't."

"Oh well, that's alright," She grinned dreamily at him and pushed up closer towards him. Trapped, Athrun glanced over nervously down the hall, silently begging for some sort of help. Pressed against the door, he couldn't move and feared that if he touched her, he could be accused of assault. "I figured you were so focused on the game you might miss me."

"Stop this!" Athrun growled as she raised her head towards his, inching closer. Pulling back, he yanked away from her, the door flew open, and he stumbled deeper into Cagalli's room. His expression darkened as she pursued him. "I don't even know who you are! How did you know my name?"

"Everyone knows that you're Athrun Zala, Chairman Zala's only son," She beamed. "I heard from some other girls that you were gorgeous and they were right."

Athrun swallowed. He had been so pre-occupied with his problems at school he hadn't really noticed the way people were looking at him. Now, however, he wasn't sure if he wanted to. "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on, Athrun," She walked seductively towards him as he retreated behind a chair. "I just want to get to know you better."

"In case you have forgotten this is my room!" A voice came out of nowhere, practically screaming. "Get out, Meer!"

Athrun watched in awe as a very angry Cagalli pushed her way past the door and pushed in front of the intruding girl, blocking her path. She'd been coming back from class and had seen the entire scene unfold from the other end of the hall. She could see the obvious discomfort on Athrun's part and when Meer had forced him into her room, she had felt her temper snap.

"I was just being friendly!" The other girl protested, throwing up her hands in defense though her eyes didn't leave the young man who stood disconcerted behind the chair. Her eyes narrowed. "Why is he here anyway? You know that boys aren't allowed."

"As if that is any of your business," Cagalli retorted hotly, coming to Athrun's rescue. "He's a friend of mine and … and we're going out tonight with some other friends of mine. I asked him to meet me here."

Meer wasn't fooled. "His hair is wet. He had a shower in our bathroom!"

"It's called sweating," Cagalli knew her response sounded lame but it was the best she could do. Turning towards Athrun, her expression softened. "Give me five minutes and I'll be ready to go alright?"

At this point, Athrun was completely lost. Going out? He hadn't agreed to going out! He found himself nodding stupidly and his heart rate slowed when he saw Meer throw her head back in disgust and take off down the hall and out of sight. Relieved, he collapsed onto Cagalli's bed and raised his head when he felt his rescuer flop down beside him.

"Uh, thanks Cagalli," He muttered and smiled sheepishly at her. "She sort of caught me off guard."

Her heart fluttered as he said her name and returned his smile with one of her own. Inhaling deeply, she fought to contain her composure. He had obviously cleaned himself and smelt of old spice and honey. His features were so youthful and gentle yet it was his eyes that bewitched her. Those deep, dark, mystifying green eyes that drank in her appearance. Even his hair seemed to delicately enhance the shape of his face.

"You're welcome." She croaked, somehow choking on the words. He seemed even more handsome now than he had before and even then, he'd been a pleasant sight for the eyes.

There was a long pause between the two, both afraid of what the other might say or think. Athrun bit his lower lip and turned aside, shying away from her.

"Hey," She took a deep breath. "I am actually going out with some friends tonight to the bar. Why don't you come with us?"

"You can go," Athrun told her, kindly. He didn't drink. Everyone who knew him knew that he never touched the stuff… or at least, not much of it. As for the bar… with a personal curfew of 10:30, that had been imposed by his parents, he couldn't see himself being the life of any sort of party anytime soon "I think I'm going to stay here."

"No you aren't!" Cagalli laughed and tossed her backpack onto the floor. She jumped up, grabbed her coat and casually walked over to where Athrun was sitting. Athrun's eyes followed her warily, unsure. He didn't like the look she was giving him. "I can see tell that you're still a little shaken up from Meer. Don't worry about her. She's also new and a little strange. She arrived sometime last week and skips class all the time. Don't let her ruin your day."

"_If only that was the only thing that had ruined my day_," Athrun thought bitterly before shaking his head. He didn't want her feeling sorry for him or come across as being a tagalong to her friends. Besides, he was tired and wanted to end the day before it became any worse.

"She might come back you know," Cagalli mused, enjoying the bewilderment that flashed across Athrun's face. "You'd be safer if you came with us."

"No, I think I really just – AH!" Athrun yelped as Cagalli's hand flew out and grabbed his. Unprepared, Athrun couldn't resist as Cagalli hulled him to his feet and dragged him towards the door.

"Hey, no, I said I…"

"Oh loosen up and have a little fun," Cagalli jeered playfully. "It won't kill you."

"But I don't…"

"Come on!"

Giving up, Athrun reluctantly followed. He'd quickly learned that there was no point in arguing with her when she had her mind made up. At least this way he wouldn't have to worry about Meer Campbell coming after him again any time soon and he could meet some of Cagalli's friends.

Cagalli's hand tightened around his, sending sparks shooting up his arm and leaving him reeling. That tingling sensation he had felt earlier seemed to intensify and he shivered, feeling flushed. His heart beat sped up and although he felt warm, he also felt his skin prickling again. This feeling. What ever it was, it was giving him goose bumps again.

The bar was loud and noisy, just as Athrun had predicted that it would be. The place that Cagalli had taken him was famous for two things really – cheap alcohol and lots of it. The walls and floors reeked of beer and the crowds were suffocating. Loud jeers and cheers echoed at full volume off the walls and Athrun could hardly hear as Cagalli introduced him to each of her friends. Unsurprisingly, she had several and some of them he had already met. The first was Kira Yamato, the boy he had met during lunch and who played on the basketball team with him. Two other boys, Dearka and Yzak, also were members of that team. Aside from them, were two other girls – a brunette named Miriallia and a girl, who reminded him of Meer, named Lacus.

All were kind and he found that they were quite interested in him. It only took a few minutes before he was joking and laughing with them as if they had been friends for years. The group sat at a round table in the corner of the bar, away from most of the action. All of them had tossed in some money to buy a pitcher of beer and although Athrun threw in a few dollars, he had been nursing the same glass since he had first arrived. He found it more interesting to simply observe the others and the effects that the substance had on their words and their behavior.

Cagalli had quickly made it clear that she intended on enjoying the night as she was chugged down another glass. Her cheeks had turned rosy pink as her eyes watered from laughter fueled partially by the drink and partially by a joke that Dearka had just told her.

"Here's to a new semester!" Dearka's voice wavered slightly as he threw up his glass in the air. "Soon to be our torture!"

"Here's to us!" Kira added and stood up from his seat. "For surviving the first semester!"

"Here's to…" Yzak paused for a second as his alcohol induced mind struggled to function. Swaying slightly in his chair, he raised his beer to meet the glasses of his friends. "Here's to good alcohol!"

"I'll say cheers to that," Cagalli laughed and the four of them took a long drink, adding another beer to the growing list of what they had willingly taken into their system that night.

From the opposite side of the round table, Athrun raised an unmoved eyebrow as he watched his new friends re-fill their glasses. He had never been allowed to drink thus he had difficulty relating to their behavior. Perhaps it was also because he was new and inexperienced that he felt so differently about things. The others, for the most part, all new each other while he really only knew Cagalli – even her, he had only known for two days. He wasn't going to complain though. After the day he had had it was nice to get out. Cagalli was right – he was having fun… kinda…

Lacus seemed to notice Athrun's mild uncertainty of the situation. She sighed heavily and shook her head, obviously embarrassed. Athrun couldn't blame her. Together, they had managed to catch the attention of every single individual in the bar. It was late, well past eleven pm and nobody seemed ready to call it a night.

"How often do you guys do this?" Athrun asked and looked over at Lacus questionably. She seemed to be the only one who wasn't caught up in what was to become a second toast. She had taken a couple drinks but he knew she wouldn't be as hung over tomorrow as Athrun predicted the others would be. "They are going to feel this tomorrow."

"Only at the beginning of a new semester," Lacus explained simply and gently accepted a drink handed to her by Yzak. "Once the semester starts, no one really has the time to do this sort of thing."

"Oh," Was all Athrun could come up with. The fact that they had to look for opportunities to drink disturbed him slightly but he had to remember the company he was in…veteran students… they knew what they were doing. Perhaps he was the one who was acting outlandish. Staring down at his first and only half finished draft, Athrun had to wonder.

"You should relax," Lacus told him. "Enjoy yourself for a while. If you are this stressed on the first day, I don't know what you will do when the pressure really begins to mount up on your shoulders."

Athrun nodded but said nothing. It was true. He had been nervous since he had arrived. His parents expected a lot out of him. They had told him as much.

"Hey Athy!" An intoxicated Dearka flung a limp arm around Athrun's shoulder, causing him to jump in shock, and pushed his face into the younger boy's. Athrun almost gagged as he smelled the alcohol on Dearka's breath and withdrew as far as he could. "You mind if I finish you're beer? I hate to see it go a waste."

"Sure," Athrun shifted awkwardly and watched as Dearka leaned over and carelessly scooped up Athrun's drink in his hand. That made 8.

_"Liver of steel that guy must have,"_ Athrun couldn't help the thoughts that ran through his mind as he watched Dearka finish his beer in one gulp and handed the empty glass back to him.

"Hey!"

Everyone turned at the sound of a familiar voice and a familiar figure bounding towards their table. Athrun's face paled before he felt his eyes bulge. He shook his head in disbelief, refusing to belief what he saw. The purple-haired demon from class, from the terminal… he was here! He cursed his luck and felt his grasp around the empty cup in his hand tighten.

"Hi Yuna!" Yzak held out a drink to him and the other boy swept it up in his hand before floating past him. He moved towards Cagalli like a shark and scooped her up in his arms, hugging her tightly and planting a firm kiss on her cheek. The bubbly girl laughed lightly and returned his embrace. "Did you miss me?"

"I'm glad you could make it."

"Anything for you, sweetie."

Athrun felt his heart drop to the pit of his stomach and shatter. It was as if someone had taken a hammer to it and pounded down on it with one, striking blow that completely smashed it to pieces. Feeling dizzy, he grabbed the table to steady himself. Yuna was… Cagalli was… they were….

He watched brokenly as Yuna and Cagalli exchanged light banter, noting how Yuna's arms never left her waist. The way he held her disgusted him. Everything about him disgusted him. He held onto her as if he possessed her, as if she was entirely his and Athrun had to bit his lip to prevent the soft moan that threatened to escape his throat from escaping.

It took Yuna a while to notice Athrun's presence but when he finally did realize that the new boy was present, he smiled broadly at him. "Hey Zala, how was lunch duty?"

The way the words came out, one might think Yuna was trying to be funny but Athrun knew better. This boy was taunting him. A forced smile somehow found its way onto his face and he nodded. "It was fine."

Yuna snickered and pulled Cagalli closer to him. So much so that Athrun was positive that he was flaunting the fact that she was with him. Cagalli didn't seem to mind too much either as she simply laughed in his arms. She was laughing while Athrun felt as though he might cry.

He couldn't understand it. If she had a boyfriend then why would she invite him to stay the night in her room? Had it all been out of pity? Had she pitied him? It made sense. He must have looked pathetic. He was after all, the new kid. The boy who knew nothing of the school and had been left with nowhere to go. She had felt sorry for him. That had to be it. She hadn't really cared about him. Why should he expect her to? He hardly knew her and judging by what he saw, he wouldn't have a chance to either.

Feeling sick to his stomach, Athrun cursed himself for allowing himself to be sucked into the trap that so many other young men often fell into. A beautiful girl, who had been merely acting out of kindness, he had misinterpreted as having feelings for him. It was his fault. He looked down at his arm and frowned when he saw that he still had Goosebumps. That tingling still wouldn't go away nor would the feelings that pulsed through his system every time he set eyes on the blonde. No matter how much it hurt, the feelings just wouldn't go away. That's when he realized that he had fallen into her trap. A trap that every girl unknowingly set for any young man who let his guard down. He had fallen in love with her.

**TBC**

Confused? I'm sorry – Cagalli's actions will be explained in the next chapter. I have one more chapter to write before things really get interesting. I like writing this sort of stuff. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it.

Please review and let me know what you think ok? Don't worry – Athrun won't give up yet. It really has just begun.

Until next time,

Krilyn


	5. Soup, Roses and a Carnation

Hi again!

First, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! It's so nice to get feedback and it's good to know that some of you are enjoying the story.

This chapter is long. I had so much I wanted to write so I'm sorry if it is kind of slow. I also lied and I'm sorry. I won't get to Cagalli's explanation until the next chapter ok?

I wrote this really late so if there are mistakes – I'm sorry and if you let me know where they are – I shall fix them. I hate grammar errors lol.

I hope you enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny or any references made to either series. The 'soup incident' was inspired by an episode of Full House (a childhood favorite)**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #5: Soup, Roses and a Carnation**

After that night at the bar, Athrun did everything in his power to avoid Cagalli and, although they were still sharing her dorm room, it had been surprisingly easy to do. His classes started early and basketball took up almost three hours every day. When he wasn't in class or on the courts, he would seek refuge in the library where he would spend endless hours studying and preparing for exams, assignments and anything else that could keep his mind off of Cagalli.

He didn't really know how to approach the issue and like so many other things, when he wasn't certain, he tried to ignore it. That proved to be difficult. He had become reasonably good friends with Kira and the other guys on his basketball team but whenever he looked at them, he was reminded of that night when he first met them. Then all he could seem to see was Yuna and Cagalli together. Or were they together? In truth he hadn't really seen them together since the night at the bar but then, he was also trying to avoid seeing them altogether. He wanted to see her though. He liked her and without her, he felt terribly lonely. It was a feeling that had manifested itself within his heart and he felt like he was drowning in the raging currents of emotion that were washing over him.

That particular day the sun had been shining and the gentle northern breeze carried away the humidity in the air. It was warm and the sun's rays had somehow managed to reach out and coax Athrun out of the confines of the library. He sat on the steps of the giant building with his textbook on his lap, pretending to look at it. He had basketball practice in a little less than half an hour and there wasn't enough time to really start anything or go anywhere so he had decided to just sit and wait. Besides, where was he going to go anyway?

Through his eyelashes, he could see other students running across the courtyard to either go to their next class or meet up with some of their friends. It was still too early into the semester to take studying seriously and Athrun suddenly felt a little self-conscious about being seen alone. He didn't let it show though as his unwavering gaze drank in the entire spectacle before him. Something on the far side of the yard caught his eye and he focused on two figures standing face to face. Everything else seemed to evaporate as his gaze fell upon the blonde girl and the purple-haired boy that he had grown to despise.

Cagalli was holding an envelope very delicately in her hands and showing it to Yuna who seemed utterly disinterested in what she was saying to him. Judging from her puffy eyes and the way her body trembled as she spoke Athrun could tell that she was upset and his heart clinched painfully in his chest. The bright day seemed to cloud over as he watched the girl he cared so deeply about pour out her troubles to Yuna.

For a natural, it would have been impossible to overhear their conversation but for Athrun, who's keen sense's were sharp, he had little problem listening in. His mother had always scolded him for eavesdropping, but for some reason, he felt no shame or guilt about listening to Cagalli and Yuna.

"I don't get it," Yuna scratched his head and yawned rudely in Cagalli's face. "It's just a mutt. It's nothing to get so worked up about. Get your parents to buy you another one."

"It wasn't just another mutt, Yuna! He was _my_ dog! Since I was little! We did everything together and… he was my best friend!" She dropped her gaze, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. "And now he's gone."

"Like I said, you can always get another one." Yuna retorted and shrugged. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. Besides, an old bag of fur isn't as much fun as a new dog."

"Orby was a good dog," Cagalli shook her head. "Even if he was old…"

Athrun stiffened when he heard Cagalli's voice crack and cocked his head to the side to get a better view of the two of them. His insides burned when he saw how distraught Cagalli looked and what really angered him was the way that Yuna just stood their like a complete fool criticizing the way she was acting and insulting her dog. The envelope obviously contained a letter with bad news regarding her pet and all Yuna could do was stand there! He should have at least been holding her or trying to comfort her. If he was her boyfriend then he should be at least trying to ease her pain in some way.

"_That's what I would have done,"_ Athrun thought to himself as he watched the scene unfold. _"Stupid idiot."_

"Get over it, Cagalli." He heard Yuna tell her sharply as he turned and began to walk away. Athrun watched in unmasked horror and disbelief as Yuna left Cagalli standing there alone in the open courtyard with only her grief as company.

Athrun closed his textbook and slowly rose to his feet. She needed someone. He could see it in her eyes and he couldn't bear seeing her so cold, so distressed and alone. He took a step towards her but then stopped himself. What was he doing? What exactly did he think he was going to do? Rush and in and sweep her up into his arms, telling her not to cry and that everything would be alright? That's what he wanted to do but something was holding him back.

She had made it pretty clear at the bar that he was only a friend. A friend who she had felt sorry for and, out of pity, had invited to come along with her. There was nothing more to it than that. It wasn't his place to take her in his arms and comfort her. For him, that meant so much more than being friends and he didn't want to overstep his boundaries. It wouldn't be fair to her nor would it be fair for him.

His heart tugged at him from within, urging him to take another step but he couldn't.

Sensing her turn in his direction, he quickly averted his gaze to mask any feelings that may have been reflecting his sparkling, emerald eyes. He raised his wrist to check the time and realized that he had to get to the gym. His coach was a harsh man and he had seen the punishments he reserved for those who were late. They were even worse if one were to decide to skip practice altogether.

He picked up his backpack and gym bag from the library steps and swung both over a shoulder. He hopped down the last few steps to the paved ground and started towards the gymnasium. Deep down, he felt like he was breaking and he felt horrible doing this to Cagalli but she had made her decision. He had to respect it. As much as it hurt him and he hated it, he had to accept the fact that she and Yuna were together. There was no room in that relationship for him and he would not allow himself to be second or the third party.

"_I'm her friend," _Athrun thought to himself bitterly and straightened with resolve. _"I'm not her boyfriend."_

Unhappy with his conclusions yet stubbornly determined to follow through with his decision, he increased his pace until he was in an all out sprint towards the gym. From what he could tell, Cagalli was strong-willed and he was sure that she would be able to rebound from whatever terrible news the letter had brought. He had to stop thinking about her.

That too proved to be impossible.

It was a Friday and like all the team members, Athrun was anxious to get practice over with. Their coach was cranky and everyone else was exhausted and very, very thirsty.

"Zala! You're up!" The coach called towards the benches where a couple of guys were slouching, drinking water. "Come on, Athrun! Hurry up! You're in offense! Now!'

Realizing that his mind had drifted back to Cagalli, the boy slowly complied, getting up and dragging his tired body towards the court. He hadn't even been really listening to Kira who was busily chatting about an upcoming dance and how he had invited Lacus to go with him. A dance? He knew how to dance – his mother had taught him. He wondered if Cagalli … he shook his head.

He wiped the sweat off his brow and took a deep breath. His mind drifted to Cagalli and whether or no she was still upset. He knew she had made plans for the evening and deep down, hoped that getting out would cheer her up a bit.

"Ready?" The coach yelled and the game began.

Athrun took his place, body wavering a little as he tried to focus. He was dizzy, tired and swallowed, trying to moisten his dry throat. Again he wiped away the beads of sweat that rolled down his forehead. He could hear voices coming from all around but they seemed nothing but distant echoes in a dream. All he could see was Cagalli standing in the lonely courtyard, consumed by her troubles and sad. He didn't like to see her so unhappy. Maybe he should have gone to see if she was ok after all.

"Go!" The coach screamed and blew his whistle.

Kira, who was on offense for the opposing team in the scrimmage along with Dearka and Yzak, narrowed his eyes as he noticed that Athrun was still standing still as the game started. He had watched him during the entire practice and had sensed that something was wrong. Athrun seemed distracted.

"Hey! Kira! Heads up!" Someone called, passing him the ball/

Kira immediately caught it and began to dribble, approaching the other team's hoop. They continued to practice and all the while Kira noticed how Athrun failed to catch the ball or even notice when it was coming his way. It hit him in the back once and Athrun toppled over to the floor.

It was so odd the way Athrun was playing. Kira had seen him during other practices and he knew that Athrun was an exceptional player, even if he wasn't always picked first when decided who played on what time during scrimmage. This exhibition of weakness was unlike him. What could be wrong?

The coach blew his whistle, signaling the end of the game. "Good game boys, now get your sorry butts out of here and into the showers!" He called, wrinkling his nose.

A few guys laughed and went to get their gear.

Kira searched the small crowd, trying to spot Athrun's slender form. He looked back and saw him, slowly approaching the benches to grab his gym back and backpack. Athrun wasn't even going to change out of his uniform!

Several more laughs could be heard and Athrun looked up to the bleachers. Sitting there was none other than Yuna Saran and a couple of his friends. His eyes blazed as his grip around his gym bag tightened. They had come to watch the practice, he realized, and he had made a complete fool of himself!

"The game's over, Zala, you can stop falling now!" Yuna hooted, laughing his heart out as he got up and loaded his backpack on.

Athrun ignored the mocking laughter, and made a quick exit, deliberately avoiding his coach and the other members of his team. He knew he'd been awful. He didn't need anybody to re-enforce the point.

It didn't take long for the young athlete to sprint across campus back to the girls' residence. It was late – he could tell from the position of the stars that it was well past midnight. Nobody would be up and even if they were, they would more than likely be drunk. It was, after all, a Friday night.

He slipped into Cagalli's room, surprised to see that the light was on. She always went out Friday night with Lacus and the other girls and she always kept the light to her room off when she wasn't there.

"Uh, hello?" He asked and his eyes widened. Sitting on her bed, hunched over, was Cagalli. Her eyes puffy as tear-strains streaked her cheeks. The letter he had seen her holding was crumpled in her hand as she pulled her knees in closer to her. She raised her head slightly at his voice and nodded.

"Athrun."

Athrun dropped his gym bag by the door, startled by her presence. He had made a habit of early mornings and late nights to avoid her and to see her in her room alone on a Friday was not normal. "Cagalli, I didn't expect you to be here…what's wrong?"

She shook her head, feeling the bed shift as he sat down beside her. "My dad had to have my dog put down yesterday," She croaked, her bottom lip trembling. "He… he was sick and… and…dad said it wasn't right for him to suffer any longer."

"Oh," Athrun said stupidly, unsure what else he should say. He had never had a pet so he would be lying if he told her 'he understood how she was feeling.' "I'm sorry to hear that."

"He was my best friend," Cagalli sobbed. "Now he's gone."

"I never had a pet," Athrun told her solemnly and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "My mom is allergic to animal dandruff. You were incredibly lucky to have a good friend like your dog. The unconditional love of a pet is something that is… invaluable."

"I know," Cagalli sniffed and Athrun's heart clinched when he felt her lean into him. "I'm going to miss him."

_I shouldn't be doing this_ Athrun's mind screamed as he felt her tremble against him. _But it feels so right. She shouldn't be alone. She needs someone. Why isn't Yuna with her?_

"Hmmm," He cleared his throat and nervously pushed away from her. Climbing back to his feet, he rushed across the room towards his suitcase. He could sense Cagalli's eyes on him as he rummaged through his belongings until he found what he was looking for.

Turning around, he moved back to the bed. Taking her hand in his, he opened her palm and placed in it his old, mechanical toy dog. His heart fluttered when he saw the look of surprise in her eyes before she brought up her other hand and clutched the toy to her chest. He smiled softly at her and dropped down beside her bed where he usually slept.

"I know it isn't your dog," He told her, feeling his face grow warm. "But it's the closest thing I ever had to a pet. I made it when I was little. You need it more than me."

"Oh Athrun…" Cagalli fumbled over the words. "I…"

"Her name is Kaori," He explained. "Promise me you'll take care of her."

"I will," Cagalli nodded her head. Her tears were fading away now and she smiled weakly at him. "Athrun… thank you."

He shrugged and averted his gaze so she couldn't see how red he had become. There was a long pause and Athrun could feel an uneasy tension suddenly filling the air between them. He hadn't really spoken to her since the incident at the bar and he was still hurting from it a little. Still, Cagalli was depressed and for some reason he felt it to be his obligation to cheer her up.

"Um, Cagalli?"

"Yes?"

"Did you want to go out for a drink or something?"

She looked down at him, raising a questioning eyebrow. "I didn't think you drank."

"I don't," Athrun agreed and got up. "But I can buy you one if you like."

Athrun groaned at how terribly lame he sounded. When she didn't reply in the following three seconds, he panicked and quickly back tracked. "You know, it's ok. I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to and…"

"What do you normally do when you're sad?"

Her question caught him off guard and it showed as he jerked upright and shifted uneasily on his feet. He certainly didn't talk about his problems if that was what she was getting at. He usually just let his problems settle in the back of his mind and analyze them until his entire head throbbed in a painful headache. He wasn't going to say that though. Then he remembered a time when his family had lived on the shoreline of an artificial river in one of the PLANTS.

"Stare at water." He replied simply.

"What?"

"I don't know," He admitted somewhat sheepishly. "When I feel lonely or sad I like to stare out into the water. Somehow, that makes me feel better."

It was just one of those things. He seemed to find comfort in the waves and the breeze off the water. The solitude. The atmosphere had seemed to draw him to the gentleness of the water's edge. Everything was calm, there was no one there to shout at him, remind him how he wasn't meeting everyone's expectations and continually failing.

"There's a small lake a few blocks down," Cagalli smiled secretly and moved off of the bed. "I wouldn't mind going for a walk."

Athrun didn't need any convincing. He snatched his black jacket from the floor and tossed it on – sliding one arm through it and then the other. Still dressed in his sweated out basketball jersey and shorts, he escorted Cagalli out of the room and down the main hall towards the exit.

The lake wasn't far. Through a small thicket and down a dirty path and one was there - Staring at the glimmering water that sparkled in the starlight. Neither of them spoke as they walked for neither knew what to say. Athrun didn't want to bring up Yuna but he so desperately wanted to know what Cagalli's relationship with him was. Although, the more he saw of her, the more he cared less and less about Yuna. Yuna didn't treat her well. She deserved better and he couldn't help but feel that he was better for her than Yuna. Much better.

Once they got there, Athrun sat down on the soft grass by the shore while Cagalli remained standing. Resting his arms on his knees, he seemed mesmerized by the gentle waves that were washing up against the pebbles and sand. The wind casually blew strands of soft, blue hair into his eyes but he didn't seem to care. He just continued to gaze off into the water – wondering whether or not what he was doing was right.

He tensed when Cagalli's leg brushed up against him. He wanted to hold her so badly but he couldn't. If she was with someone else, he had no right to interfere though, had he not done so already? He had given her Kaori and had agreed to escort her to the lake in the middle of the night. Was that something friends normally did?

After about five minutes of mutual silence, Cagalli cleared her throat to shatter the calm tranquility that had enveloped them. "You're right, Athrun," She said softly. "Staring at water does make you feel better."

He nodded. "I'm glad I could help. I just wish I could understand your feelings."

It had somehow slipped out and he immediately regretted it. He hadn't meant to say it. He slumped and focused solely on the gentle waves rolling in off in the distance. "I'm sorry," He mumbled. "I shouldn't have said that."

"No," Cagalli shook her head once. "It's okay. I figured something was bothering you – I hardly see you anymore and considering we share a room…"

"It's nothing," He lied. In truth, he had replayed this conversation over and over in his head about a million times. How he would ask her whether or not she was seeing Yuna and whether or not she was as interested in him as he was her. He had planned it perfectly yet somehow, now that he had her attention, the words seemed lost in his throat. He didn't even know how to begin. Cagalli was just starting to seem more like herself and he didn't want to ruin it by dragging her into an awkward conversation about their relationship - as strange as it was.

A tender smile spread across the young girl's face and without warning, she moved towards him.

He watched in awe as Cagalli suddenly dropped down beside him and snuggled up against him, closing her eyes. Again, he felt the urge to put his arm around her smaller form but held himself back from doing so for he was uncertain as to how she would react. He didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of the situation.

Cagalli's auburn eyes suddenly opened, and she looked deep into Athrun's.

"Athrun?"

"Hmm?" He hummed softly, wanting so badly to reach up and caress Cagalli's soft cheek, to push that adorable strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" Cagalli continued quietly.

"Of course."

At that, Cagalli smiled shyly, snuggled closer to Athrun and put her arm around his waist.

Athrun stiffened at first, shocked. But when he felt Cagalli's body tense, for she was probably thinking she had done something wrong, Athrun's resistance gave way and he brought his own arm around her and pulled her closer. He felt Cagalli quickly relax and heard her sigh pleasantly, melting deeper into the warm embrace, burying her face in Athrun's firm chest, her other hand coming between their bodies, clutching onto Athrun's dark, sweaty shirt.

Athrun smiled, looking down at the angel resting in his arms, and reached his second hand to caress the top of the girl's head, resting right under his chin.

"Thank you..." Cagalli whispered sleepily into Athrun's chest.

"It's fine," Athrun whispered back, fingers playing with Cagalli's blonde, messy hair. "Do you feel any better?"

Again Cagalli let out a pleasant sigh, her body relaxing even more. Athrun could hear Cagalli's slow and steady breaths and realized that she had fallen asleep. He allowed himself to unwind, holding onto the warmth of Cagalli's body. There were only he and Cagalli. It was their perfect moment. No school, no Yuna, no angry principals – nothing. Only their two hearts, beating against each other in perfect synchronization.

The two stayed out by the lake for another hour before they decided to call it a night and the next day, Athrun felt completely alive. He had forgotten all about Yuna and his reservations about pursuing a relationship with Cagalli. He left the residence early as he always did, though this time it wasn't because he was trying to avoid his roommate. No, it was because he had been assigned to breakfast duty as punishment for being disruptive in class.

He smiled at the thought. It had been entirely worth it.

Yuna, doing his usual to make his life a living misery had tried to spoil his chemistry experiment in class yesterday. They were testing for oxygen by using a lit match and moving it towards a test tube. Knowing that hydrogen exploded on contact with fire, Yuna had swapped the test tubes and set it up so when Athrun did his experiment, his test tube would explode – creating a huge commotion. Unfortunately, Athrun had suspected as much.

When doing his experiment, he intentionally moved over beside Yuna. Instead of just waving the match above the test tube, Athrun dropped it in and released it. It exploded just inches from Yuna, causing the other boy to scream. The entire class had erupted in hysterical laughter as Yuna's voice reached an octave that even some girls wouldn't be able to. Yuna retaliated by taking a swing at Athrun but he'd avoided it with little effort.

So now, here he was, serving his time on breakfast duty with Yuna. Even though it was a Saturday, the cafeteria was always open. Although spending the morning with Yuna didn't appeal to him, Athrun had other ideas in mind. He remembered Kira briefly mentioning the winter dance that was only days away during practice and now had his heart set on asking Cagalli to accompany him.

He had left the residence particularly early to take the bus to the nearest flower shop. There, he struggled with the decision of what sort of flowers he should buy her. He didn't want to just simply as her. He wanted to impress her and he knew that flowers were always a safe bet when it came to women.

He eventually decided on a lone, yellow carnation. It reminded him so much of her golden hair and immediately the blossom had won his complete admiration. She would love it. It was simple yet with so much thought. Anyone could buy roses. He had it wrapped and, once satisfied, he rushed back to the campus where he knew Mr. La Flaga would be waiting for him in the cafeteria.

"Glad to see you made it," The man grinned at him when he saw that Athrun was carrying a small, neatly-wrapped bouquet. "Don't tell me those are for me? You can't buy your way out of café duty, kid."

"No, Sir," Athrun flushed and shook his head. Setting the flower down carefully in the back room, he set to work, preparing whatever happened to be on the breakfast menu. Yuna, who was already preparing toast, frowned when he saw the strange look on Athrun's face. He didn't seem as solemn and in deep contemplation as you usually did. Instead, the new kid seemed happy. Perhaps even kiddy.

"What's with the flowers?" He asked as Athrun moved beside him to start stirring the days' soup special. "Don't tell me you're thinking of asking some girl to the winter dance."

"What if I am?" Athrun demanded. His skin tightened but he refused to let Yuna get to him. Not today. He had been in too good a mood to let him ruin it.

"Because I don't think there is a girl in this school that would want to go with you!"

Athrun bit back a sarcastic remark. He knew for a fact that there was a great deal of girls that wanted to go with him. "I can think of a couple." Was all he said.

"Like who?"

"I don't think that is any of your business."

Yuna snorted as the toast he was preparing popped out of the toaster burnt. "It's some loser isn't it? That's why you don't want to tell me? Are you embarrassed of your own girlfriend? Pity."

"I don't think you should be giving me any sort of advice about women," Athrun fired back sharply as thoughts of Cagalli flashed through his mind. "I've seen the way you treat them."

Yuna looked up from his work at Athrun, who had hastily turned his back on him and was busy arranging the fruits on the portable table across the aisle. Confused by Athrun's sudden change in temperament, he scowled. He studied the boy carefully and his expression hardened. It was Cagalli. Athrun had feelings for her. Suddenly it made sense. It explained why he'd suddenly become so guarded about the issue.

Athrun was going to ask _her_ to go to the dance!

"Are you talking about Cagalli?"

No answer.

"Stay away from her," Yuna warned. "She's with me."

Athrun stiffened, becoming more and more angry. He knew he would regret it but turned around and glared furiously at the other boy. "Cagalli will be with whoever she wants to be with."

With that, Athrun returned to his work.

Suddenly feeling threatened, Yuna looked over again at Athrun, then at the pot of soup he had left unattended. He looked down at the pepper shaker next to him on the counter and then back at the pot a second time.

If Athrun thought he was going to get to Cagalli first than he was dead wrong.

It didn't take long for people to notice the unwelcome surprise in their soup. In a short while the cafeteria was filled with screams and cries, and chaos spread all around. People gagged and vomited as they found an abnormally high amount of pepper hidden in their meals. They hurried to run away, screaming, leaving the cafeteria in one horrid mess.

Twenty-two minutes later, Athrun was sitting in front of the principal's office, awaiting judgment. He sat with his hands in his lap, head leaning back against the wall, still as a rock. He kept looking up at the ceiling, unable to look the secretary in the eye. Yuna had gotten him into trouble again. The room was quiet – too quiet and the eerie silence made him feel as if he were waiting for his own execution.

After a long while of waiting, the door to the principal's office opened and the Ms. Badgiruel stepped outside.

"Athrun, would you please come in?" She asked coldly and stepped back into the office.

Athrun nodded and walked into the office, his head down, eyes burning with humiliation.

"Please, Athrun, sit down." The principal offered kindly, sitting behind her large desk.

Athrun did as he was asked, sitting down in the chair in front of her, hands on his lap, fidgeting nervously. He didn't dare to look up at her, keeping his head bowed. He knew this woman disliked him. She knew she disliked his family and wondered just how serious his punishment was going to be.

After a few silent and suspenseful moments, the woman got up, sighing. She rounded the desk slowly, coming to stand in front of Athrun. She leaned on the desk, crossing her arms over her chest, and sighed again. "Athrun," She began sharply and Athrun flinched. "I am very disappointed in you."

Athrun closed his eyes slowly, his head still bowed. He kept quiet, forcing himself not to fidget.

She studied the silent boy, frowning a little. He wasn't looking at her, rather he simply kept staring down at his hands. She sighed again, sitting down on the desk. "You were responsible for that soup. Explain yourself."

Athrun swallowed, and took a sharp breath, trying to clam his nerves down.

The cold woman scowled as she saw he was not responding. "Mr. La Flaga hit the roof. The punishment for your supposed actions will be severe." She was expecting him to say he didn't do it but Athrun kept silent and unmoving. "Athrun," Shestarted again, in a more demanding tone. "I want to know why you did it. Are you trying to get expelled?"

This time, Athrun's head jerked up, and he glared at her defiantly.

"Are you that desperate to get out of here?"

Athrun's mouth formed a thin line and he looked away. It wouldn't have mattered what he said. Her mind was already made up and he felt like a carcass just waiting for the vultures to converge upon him.

"Athrun, I can't let you get away with this."

Athrun ignored her, still looking away.

"Athrun!"

"I didn't do it," he whispered quietly.

This time, it was the principal's turn to glare at him. She folded her arms over her chest, eyebrows drawing near. "Do you really think I'm going to believe that?" She spat.

"No." Athrun told her truthfully and raised his stone-cold eyes to meet hers. "I don't."

"You little!" She shouted, pushing herself off the desk. "I am going to have to punish you." She snarled, sitting down behind her desk, grabbing a pen and paper. "Your father is traveling to the earth for a meeting is he not? I will have no choice but to inform him about your deviant behavior."

Athrun flinched, whirling his head to look at her, eyes wide and fearful.

Ms. Badgiruel didn't notice, and kept on talking. From what Athrun could tell, she was enjoying this immensely. "Until then, you are on permanent lunch duty."

Anger flared in her cold eyes and she leaned back in her chair, arms across her chest. "You are a troublemaker, Athrun Zala. This school will not tolerate such behavior. Your parents will not be impressed."

"You can't..."

"And why not?" She challenged, raising an eyebrow.

Athrun looked away, lost as to what to do or say to lighten his sentence. She would call his parents? He felt his throat tighten and shuddered.

The principal sat up in her large office chair, still glaring at him. "You may leave now."

Taking a deep breath, Athrun nodded his goodbye and hurried out of the office. What use would it have been to tell her the truth? She wouldn't believe him anyway. He would get even for Yuna for doing this to him in his own way.

By the time Athrun was excused from his visit with the principal, it was well past noon. He should have been free of his cafeteria duties by 10 o'clock. Curse Yuna for getting him into trouble yet again. Just when he thought he had the upper hand on the stupid moron, he pulled off a dirty trick like that. To make things worse, Ms. Badgiruel was convinced that he had been the one to try to poison the cafeteria and she was also certain that he was a troublemaker. He smiled bitterly at the thought. Athrun Zala – the troublemaker? Hardly.

Gripping his carnation tightly by its stem, Athrun marched up the stairs to Cagalli's room, feeling somewhat fatigued from his run in with the principal. His good mood had dissolved somewhat but hadn't been completely destroyed. He still planned on asking Cagalli to go with him to the dance and deep down, he felt this tingly sensation that made him shiver nervously. He desperately hoped that she would say yes.

He rounded the corner that led to the hall where her room was and stopped short. He staggered back as if being struck by an invisible force and he winced. It felt as if someone had just punched him in the jaw… or worse.

Standing there, in Cagalli's doorway was Yuna and he was holding out a bouquet of beautiful red roses to her. He couldn't make out what they were saying but Cagalli seemed pretty happy as she accepted them graciously. Athrun was able to read her lips as she thanked Yuna and nodded willingly to something that Yuna asked.

He couldn't believe it. It was happening again. Like a cruel joke that refused to end, he was watching the girl he loved be swept away by another man. His nemesis no less! That was it. He couldn't take it anymore. Didn't she care at all about the way she was treating him? Didn't she realize that she was breaking his heart, mending it and then throwing it away again! Didn't she realize how hard this was on him? He felt like a yo-yo and he couldn't bare it anymore.

Yuna looked up and noticed Athrun standing there. He flashed him a victorious grin before waving to Cagalli as he left. He had sabotaged the soup to delay Athrun in order to get to Cagalli first!

Athrun gave up. There was no point in fighting it. He was only hurting himself.

He didn't know how long Yuna had been there but he seemed to have arrived just as he was leaving. Shoulders drooped and eyes fixed on the ground, he approached the room, the lone carnation in his hand, once Yuna was gone.

"Athrun!" Cagalli smiled but it quickly faded when she saw the look on his face. Still holding the roses that Yuna had given her, she eyed him worriedly as he brushed past her and picked up his books from the far side of the room. He looked like he was going to break down and cry. "Athrun?"

"I have a lot of um… studying… a project…" Athrun could hardly get the words out. The pain coursing through him felt like electrical currents that were burning him from within. He had to get away. He didn't want her to see him like this. He didn't want her to see him again – ever. He wanted to disappear. "I have to go."

"But you just got here," Cagalli pointed out. "And it is Saturday. You have the entire weekend…"

"I have to go." Athrun repeated flatly. Throwing his backpack over his shoulder, he quickly made his way back towards the door. As he pushed past her a second time, he hesitated. She was staring at the flower that he just realized he was still holding.

Biting back a small whimper of disappointment, he held it out to her. "Yuna dropped this in the hall."

Athrun couldn't wait for her to take it and so he pushed it almost violently into her hands before he took off down the hall in an all out sprint. From the doorway, Cagalli watched him leave, stunned. She didn't understand. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting like that?

Her eyes fell upon the golden carnation now mixed in the bundle of red roses Yuna had given her. She frowned and looked back up at the now empty hall way. "But… this one is different…"

**TBC**

I hope you liked it! Poor Athrun. I did put in a little fluff though for those who wanted some. There will be much more to come don't worry. Please let me know what you think okay? Next chapter Athrun and Cagalli will hopefully get their differences straightened out but now Athrun's parents are going to enter the scene too. Lucky him. I picked Yuna because I kinda like Shinn and Ayel (from what I've seen of destiny) and don't want to demonize them. Nobody cares if I do that to Yuna right? Tee hee…

Thanks again!

Until next time,

Krilyn


	6. Blissful Misunderstanding

Hi!

It's been a while. Sorry about that – I've been working on my other story. Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. I hope you enjoy this one too – it was fun to write. It's kinda fluffy but I think Athrun and Cagalli are entitled right? Oh! This is also my first attempt at a romance story so PLEASE be understanding ok? -

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny or any other references made to either series. The dragon comb belongs to Pacific Mall in Toronto where I saw it. **

**Special thanks to Prime Minister who helped me write this**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #6: Blissful Misunderstanding**

After that fateful moment in the hallway, Athrun doubled his efforts in avoiding Cagalli. In all actuality, it had been quit simple. He didn't have any classes with her and being sentenced to an eternity on lunch duty kept him from seeing her during lunch. He'd managed to work out an agreement with Mr. LaFlaga to prevent from working during the same times as Cagalli and when he wasn't in class or at basketball practice, he would hide on the 10th floor of the library, studying.

Very few people went to the 10th floor of the Lunar Library so Athrun could lose himself easily in his studies. Midterms were coming up and the pressure to perform was building. His parents had spent a lot of money to send him to this school and he was well aware of the punishments should he fall short of their expectations. Fear of his father's wrath and his mother's disappointment kept him hard at the books.

That was where Athrun found himself the day before the dance. He sat in a small cubical in the corner of the room trying to focus. He twirled his pencil neatly around his finger and watched as it spun around and around before it dropped onto his open textbook. His eyes followed the pencil as it rolled along the long list of equations written on the paper that he knew he needed to learn. The only problem was that he didn't feel like learning them. He wasn't interested or motivated. He was tired.

An entire week had gone by since he'd surrendered to Yuna and the hurt still swelled inside his heart.

He'd made a habit of sleeping in the library – something that was quit common amongst students in educational facilities. The only difference was that he had done it all week. Passed out across his books, Athrun would wake up on the 10th floor of the library in his same cubical feeling worse than he had the night before. He missed his place on the floor in Cagalli's room. The only time he went there was to grab a fresh change of clothes and he only dared to do so when he was certain she wasn't around. Still, he missed living without the grubby feeling that one would get after a sleepless night. His limbs would be stiff and sore from trying to sleep sitting down and he had had a horrible headache all week.

He bit his lip angrily. He shouldn't have to endure this. Nobody else had to. Straightening, he yawned and tried to focus on the text in front of him. He would do what he had come to do – perform well in school, get good grades, make his parents proud and leave. That was all that mattered. Whether or not he had any friends, a girlfriend or felt remotely happy didn't really matter in the long run. Did it?

With that in mind, Athrun steadied the tip of his pencil on a clear white sheet of paper in front of him and began to write out equations. He pressed the pencil down harder as he began to scribble them out faster and faster. He hated it here. He hated Yuna, he hated the principal and administration and…

SNAP!

Athrun cursed silently under his breath as his fourth pencil gave in and broke in two. Annoyed, he angrily tossed the tool aside and reached for another with his left hand.

Not only did school bother him but so did that girl – Meer Campbell. She was always staring at him and he could see the lust in her eyes. Her eyes would bore into him and he couldn't suppress a shudder as he recalled how she would continually undress him with her deep, cerulean eyes.

Clasping the new pencil in his left hand, Athrun carefully set it against the rough surface of the paper. He firmed his grip by using his thumb and forefinger and tried again. Again, his mind drifted to his endless list of problems and it wasn't long before another sharp snap broke the heavy silence in the library.

Athrun looked around nervously to see if anyone had heard before picking up yet another pencil and trying again. Why couldn't he focus? He felt his blood pressure rising. Tomorrow was the dance. Why did that even matter to him? Why should he care? He had no intention of going. Why should he?

He heard footsteps approaching him from behind but didn't care. Snap.

"Hey!" Cagalli's voice called as she came up along side of him. She flashed him an awkward smile but Athrun just ignored her and continued to work diligently. "What are you up to?"

Athrun bit his lip and said nothing. She was toying with him again. This time he wouldn't be so easily fooled or reeled into another one of her traps. Inhaling sharply, he grabbed a pencil and resumed his work. Stiffening, he struggled to disregard her powerful presence. He could feel the goosebumps prickling his skin yet again but he wouldn't give in to it. Not again. Sweat gathered on his brow from the effort as he restrained himself from yelling at her to go away. To leave him alone. To stop playing such cruel games with his heart.

He had openly given out his heart, his soul – everything to her and she had completely thrown it all back in his face in perhaps the worse possible way a girl could. Surely, she knew how he felt. How could she not? She wasn't stupid! If she didn't like him, he would have preferred for her to just tell him outright rather than pretending to be his friend and then accepting Yuna's invitation to the dance. Or maybe he was the problem. Maybe he was just jealous? He sighed.

He didn't understand the rules to this game.

Cagalli noticed the perplexed expression on his face and frowned. "Athrun?"

Again, Athrun didn't reply.

SNAP!

The pencil snapped as did Athrun's temper. How dare she just show up like this and pretend that nothing was wrong.

"What?" Athrun spun around to face her, his green eyes blazing. "What is it that you want now?"

Cagalli pulled back from the cubical, surprised by the venom that poured out of his words. "Excuse me?"

"I'm busy," Athrun explained shortly and tensed. "What do you want from me now?"

"I…" Cagalli didn't know what to say. Shifting nervously she dared a step forward and leaned over the cubical so that her eyes were directly in line with Athrun's. "I wanted to ask you something."

"I don't have time for questions right now," Athrun dropped his gaze and turned away from her. Looking at the beautiful girl he had fallen in love with hurt too much. He was still licking his wounds from a week ago and simply was not yet ready to confront her. "Sorry."

"That carnation wasn't from Yuna was it?"

"W…what?"

"The yellow flower," Cagalli rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I want to know why you lied to me, Athrun Zala."

Yuna. That very name refueled the blazing fury that was raging inside of him. The fingers of his right hand unconsciously wrapped themselves around the paper he had just been writing on and crinkled it up almost violently until it was nothing but a tight ball on his desk. "It doesn't matter," He told her and stood up. "You're going with him to the dance aren't you? So why does it matter who that flower was from?"

He made a move to slip past her and escape but Cagalli wouldn't allow it. Angry, Cagalli's hand came out of nowhere and shoved him back into his chair. "Now hold on just a damn minute, Athrun. You're not going anywhere until we get this all straightened out. You owe me an explanation. One minute, we're together under a beautiful full moon by the river and then the next day, you see me and Yuna talking and you start avoiding me! I haven't been able to catch you all week and you never are at the residence. All I ever find are your dirty clothes everywhere! What is your problem?"

"What is _my_ problem?" Athrun couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't attempt getting up a second time for he knew she would just push him back down again. He was stronger than her but to overpower a girl risked being accused of assault. Athrun had too much respect for Cagalli, and girls in general, to do something like that. His went rigid as he fired her an incredulous look. "You can't be serious!"

"Well I am," Cagalli stamped her foot. "You're being a jerk."

"Excuse me?" Athrun's voice lowered. "I don't think you're in any position to be calling me names, Cagalli."

"And why not?"

Athrun hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not he really wanted to do this. It was too late so why put himself through any more emotional anguish than he had already gone through?

"Because you are the one who's been behaving like a jerk," He retorted curtly. "Either that or you are just stupid."

There. He had said it. It hadn't been as eloquent as he might have liked but it was now out in the open and that made him feel a little better. Gathering his courage to toss aside his ego, he spoke out from his heart, trying to get everything out before he lost his nerve. "You've been using me and I'm tired of it. I liked you a lot Cagalli but that didn't seem to matter to you. I don't understand you. You flirt with me one day and then toy with me feelings by fooling around with Yuna the next. How do you think that makes me feel? I don't think you even considered my feelings, did you?"

Cagalli staggered back as if she'd been dealt a blow to the face. "Wha… what are you _talking _about!"

"Well, what would you call it?" Athrun's eyes narrowed as he slammed his textbook shut and glared up at her. He wasn't angry anymore. He was upset. He felt vulnerable again.

"You're not making any sense!" Cagalli shook her head and swinging her backpack around, she opened it and stuck her hand in. Athrun raised a disapproving eyebrow but didn't say anything more as she pulled out a shriveled up, yellow carnation. Hands shaking, Cagalli shoved it in his face and Athrun had no choice but to rear back to avoid being stabbed in the eye by the dry petals. "Did you or did you not buy this!"

Athrun slumped and nodded. He focused hard on the grained wood of his desk, unable to meet her flaming eyes.

"Then why…"

"Because you were already going to the dance with Yuna," Athrun told her quietly. "What was I supposed to do?" He shifted in his seat and shook his head, strands of dark hair falling into his eyes. "Why do you like him so much if he treats you so badly? I saw the two of you when you told him about your dog. You deserve better, Cagalli."

"And by 'better' are you referring to yourself?" Cagalli asked, crossing her arms and scowling hard at the young man she had cornered in his cubical.

Athrun bit his lip and said nothing.

"Well?" Cagalli looked at him expectantly.

"What do you want me to say?" Athrun gritted out. His entire body trembled from a horrible mixture of pain and anger and he was sure that he was going vomit.

Cagalli's expression softened. Moving closer, she perched herself on the side of his cubical and placed a hand over his – the one clutching at the paper. His eyes widened as the contact sent an electrical bolt up his entire arm and he shuttered. His head jerked up to meet her eyes and for a long moment, they just stared at one another, both trying to read what was going through the other's mind.

"Yuna and I are not going out," She explained gently and felt Athrun flinch as she ran her forefinger along his knuckles. "If you had just asked me then I would have told you that. Instead, I had to search all over campus to find you."

Athrun wasn't convinced. "Then why…"

"It pleases my father if I maintain a good friendship with him," Cagalli managed and lowered her head in mild shame. "His father and mine are good friends. I know that Yuna has feelings for me but I don't feel the same way that he does."

Athrun's pencil snapped in his other hand in shock. It was as if someone had slapped him in the face and only then did he realize how stupid he had been. He should have spoken to her about this before – not hide in the lonely confines of the library! He mentally scolded himself and if he could have, he would have kicked himself. Still, something was a miss. "But you're going to the dance with him tomorrow aren't you? I mean, I saw the two of you and…"

"You saw but you didn't hear," Cagalli corrected him. "He asked me if I wanted to go with him and gave me a bunch of roses. I accepted the flowers but haven't given him an answer yet." She emphasized the word_ yet_ and Athrun flushed.

"I…I…" The words were stuck in his throat. Shaking his head, Athrun continued to stutter, hoping that coherency would return to him soon. "But… I…"

"Was there something you wanted to ask me when you bought this?" Cagalli held up the carnation.

"Y – yes…" Athrun continued to stumble of his words. "There was."

She received a tiny nod and Cagalli's expression turned serious as she stepped back from the cubical to give Athrun a little more breathing room. "What was it?"

Athrun wanted to tell her so desperately that he had wanted to go with her to the dance – that he still wanted to go with her but something held him back. A fear that lied buried in his rapidly beating heart. He was afraid of being hurt again. Afraid of feeling the horrible stinging pain in his chest that he had had during the last week. He didn't know if he would be able to handle Cagalli and Yuna's supposedly tight relationship and wasn't sure if he wanted to try. He shifted, suddenly very, very uneasy.

"Athrun?"

A pained look filled Athrun's wary, emerald eyes. "Cagalli…" He sighed. "I don't know…"

"I want you to say to me whatever it was you had to say before – and I want the truth."

Swallowing against the lump that had formed in his throat, Athrun paused, still contemplating.

Cagalli felt sweat gathering on her brow as she realized just how badly she must have hurt him. Just how much her careless actions had affected him. Perhaps it was too late. Perhaps the damage was beyond repair. "I was waiting to see if anyone else would ask me to the dance…"

_Ask her stupid!_ Athrun's mind screamed and he openly grimaced._ You know you want to! This is your chance! She's interested in you!_

"Cagalli…"

She took a deep breath. "Athrun, I can only give you so many chances."

_This isn't hard!_ Athrun scolded himself. _You had it all planned out before… just tell her what you had rehearsed a week ago!_

Athrun had done many things in his life that required an insurmountable amount of courage. This, however, proved to be almost above him. To surrender himself to a girl – to give his heart to her and have it shattered again. Who knew that feelings could hurt so much?"I wanted to know…" He struggled and swallowed to clear his throat. The expectant look in Cagalli's determined eyes weighed him down like a millstone around his neck.

"I wanted to know if you would go to the dance with me." He blurted out and quickly turned away from her nervously. "That was why I bought that flower and when I saw you with Yuna … I panicked. That's why I lied about it."

Cagalli chuckled lightly and reached forward to take his hand again. Her gentle fingers tickled his skin as they wrapped around his own and he found allowing her to pull him up from his chair. The two stood across from one another, their fingers intertwined between them. Athrun flushed with embarrassment as he swallowed to moisten his throat.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," Cagalli spoke slowly and firmly as she tightened her grip around his hand. "It was never my intention."

"I didn't help the problem by running away," Athrun admitted and flashed her a timid smile. "Are you um… going to give Yuna an answer tonight?"

Cagalli nodded and, much to Athrun's surprise, she pulled him into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist. She then backed away, her face reddening. "Yes, I'm going to tell him that I am going with someone else."

Athrun felt his heart soar. It was amazing how one could go from feeling so low to being on top of the world in less than fifteen minutes. Immediatley, he began forming a list of things he had to do between now and the dance. He had to get a suit, had to get cleaned up, had to buy some shoes, had to buy Cagalli a corsage and he still had to study. He reconsidered it briefly before deciding that studying could wait. He returned her embrace and stepped away.

"I have a lot I need to do between now and then – is it alright if I pick meet you at the residence around… umm… 6:00 tomorrow?"

"Don't be late," Cagalli winked at him and Athrun's legs almost gave out from underneath him. "I will see you then."

Athrun shook his head and as Cagalli made her way to the elevator, he quickly gathered his books under his arm and made a dash for the stairs. He couldn't wait for the elevator. A rush of adrenaline coursed through him as he charged down staircase after staircase until he finally reached the bottom floor. Bursting through the library doors, he charged off towards the bus stop. He had some shopping he had to do and he didn't have a lot of time to do it.

Athrun was walking down the street several hours later, his new clothing in hand, when he passed a jewelry shop. He wouldn't have noticed it ordinarily, but there were several strange items in the window that he noticed as they shimmered in the sunlight. Curious, he opened the door and went inside.

From the street the shop had looked dusty and cluttered, but once inside he found everything impeccably clean and organized, with plenty of cheerful light streaming in through the windows. "Looks can be deceiving," a little old man behind the counter said, sucking on a pipe.

Athrun smiled mildly and looked through the cases. "Lovely collection," he commented softly.

"Isn't it? Plenty of rare things in here. Are you looking for something in particular?"

Athrun straightened, putting his things down on the counter. "I'm looking for something for my. . . girlfriend," he said gingerly.

"How much are you willing to spend?" the little old man replied.

"Doesn't matter really," Athrun answered. He wanted to get something nice and the cost wasn't important. Nobody could put a price on the euphoria he was feeling.

Athrun turned slowly, examining the multitude of cases. He should get Cagalli something pretty for the party, but he also wanted something meaningful. Walking around, he selected a comb made of carved red stones and multicolored pieces creating in the shape of a dragon. The bright greens and blues would look marvelous in her golden hair.

He spent the next few hours simply wandering around, looking at bookstores and shops. As he browsed through the bookstores, waiting for tomorrow to arrive, he found several books on history and had a good chuckle over them. Having lived through most of what had been recorded, he found the Natural point of view quite interesting.

After that, Athrun spent the night back on the 10th floor of the library studying for his mid-terms. That endeavor, however, didn't last very long and soon he was fast asleep, dreaming about the dance and what he hoped would be a wonderful time.

The next day, he woke up late. He'd slept surprisingly well all things considered and, for the first time in his life, he did something that his parents would have surely whipped him for – he decided to skip his classes that day to get ready for the dance.

He dressed in the men's change room at the physical activities complex, since he knew Cagalli wouldn't let him anywhere near her room until she was ready. Girls were funny that way – they simply could not be seen until they were looking their best. He dressed quickly in his suit, which was made of black wool woven so fine that it moved as smoothly as silk over his trim frame. He adjusted the cuffs and collar of his shirt, which really were silk. The wine-purple of the shirt offset the color of his green eyes perfectly, and he liked the way his reflection greeted him in the mirror – dashing yet mysterious and just the way he liked it.

He thought for a moment about tying the black cravat around his neck and pinning it with the gold tack they had given him, but in the end stuffed it in with his old clothes. He liked the open collar better- it wasn't as formal, and he preferred to fly in the face of convention.

As he gazed into the mirror he knew he cut a handsome figure; the cut of the suit accentuated the broad musculature of his shoulders and slender waist. Oh yes, he would knock them dead tonight, he thought to himself, as he ran a comb through his heavy, silky blue hair. Once he felt he was presentable, Athrun hurried over to the residences. A sinister smirk split his face as he thought about Yuna. He couldn't help but wonder how the other boy had reacted when Cagalli had told him she wasn't going to go with him to the dance.

He walked along the narrow hallway that led to the staircase which ultimately led to the floor that Cagalli's room was on. He saw many of his female classmates and exchanged smiles with a few of them, straightening proudly when he saw their eyes widen as they drank in his stunning appearance. They all looked beautiful but none were a patch on Cagalli – even with their gorgeous dresses and makeup.

Throwing his head back to keep his bangs from falling into his eyes, he nodded politely to a girl who had spun her head around to look at him. The girl was so busy gawking at him that she almost walked right into the wall. That was when he heard a step on the top of the stairs.

He wandered into the common room, where he was exchanging smiles with some of the single women, when he heard a step on the stairs.

He turned and looked in the direction of the steps, his mouth falling slightly open as he saw her. Cagalli was walking slowly down the stairs, eyes cast downward as she moved towards him.

Her feet were clad in black leather sandals with just the slightest of heels, and the dress she wore was made entirely of wine-colored silk - nearly the same color as his shirt! The gown was sleeveless and sleek, not billowing out at the waist as so many dresses did. It followed her curves all the way down to her calves, where it flared out slightly before dangling just below her ankle. Her blond hair was curled and piled on top of her head and she looked simply beautiful.

After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the bottom of the stairs and raised her eyes to meet his. He watched as her gaze swept over his figure and her cheeks stained with a gentle blush. Oh yes, his attire was having an effect on her as well. He went over to her and took her hand, bowing slightly. "You look incredible." Athrun whispered.

"Thank you," She smiled, allowing him to take her hand and escort her along the hallway towards the soccer field behind the school where the out-door dance was being held.

"Something is missing though," he mused as he walked her to the door and the two of them left the building.

She scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"It means that you need this," he said, pulling out the comb he had found for her to see.

"Where did you get it?" she breathed. "It's… it's… you shouldn't have…"

"Maybe not," Athrun shrugged as he placed in her hair, reveling in its' softness. "But you are worth it."

"It's wonderful," she murmured. She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly full of an unfamiliar affection. "No one has ever given me anything like this before."

"You're welcome," he began, but fell silent as she wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, kissing him on the cheek. It was the first time she had ever made the move to kiss him and he felt his insides quiver like jelly.

"Let's go," she said, taking hold of his arm and letting him guide her towards the field. "Kira and Lacus promised to save us a seat. They are serving dinner starting at 6:30 and we don't want to miss it."

Athrun was all too happy to oblige.

Once there, they found a table underneath one of the many tents that had been set up. The perimeter of the field was lined with torches and a large fire in the middle, making the chilly winter night bearable for less than insulating attire. Set up on the opposite end of the field was a huge music system that blared loudly for miles. The school had done an amazing job in preparing the event.

"Whoa Cagalli," one girl, who was chatting to her two friends, looked Athrun up and down before turning to the blond girl beside him. "Your boyfriend's a keeper."

Cagalli blushed and glanced up at him. "He is." She agreed.

The group laughed and moved off into the crowd, some dispersing to find partners. Athrun smiled and looked down at Cagalli, who was still blushing furiously. "Boyfriend, eh?"

Cagalli's blush deepened. "Oh shut up," she said, but there was no sharpness in her tone. He smiled gently at her and an awkward silence grew between them, the air heavy with words that would never be said. He knew that it wasn't her way to speak about what she felt, and he really had no idea what was going on. He only knew he was enjoying it.

Scanning the crowds, Athrun frowned. He didn't see Kira or Lacus anywhere. The crowds were starting to gather as all the other students gradually assembled in the soccer field. There were still some empty tables beneath the dining tent where a buffet awaited them. Anyone who was hungry could go and help themselves.

"I don't see Kira or Lacus anywhere." He observed softly and tightened his grip on Cagalli's gloved hand.

"They're probably late," She replied and shrugged. "I bet Lacus had trouble with her hair."

There was an awkward silence between them as they struggled to decide what they should do.

"Let's eat," Athrun finally said with apprehension. "What are you going to have?"

"Just a salad."

"That's it?"

She frowned slightly at him and nodded. "I'm not that hungry."

"Makes sense," Athrun replied, making sure she was situated by the table they had picked out. "I guess you don't want to be too full to dance."

"Dance?" she gulped, suddenly paling a bit.

"Well is a dance after all," he explained, beginning to move towards the buffet.

"You don't want to dance though…do you?"

He paused, turning to look at her. She was grasping the edge of the table tightly, and despite the covering of the gloves he knew that her nails would soon be turning white from the pressure. "I like dancing." He replied.

"Dancing's stupid," she snorted indignantly.

A slow smile crept across his face and he turned to face her, crossing his arms over his waist. "You don't know how to dance, do you?"

"I do so!"

"Then you must not be very good at it," He mused, his grin widening.

"Just… get the food," She snapped, turning away from him and hunching her shoulders.

"Alright," he chuckled, and did as she asked.

He brought back two plates and set them on the table, amused by the amazement pasted on Cagalli's face. The salad was beautiful and full of neatly sliced lettuce and tomato pieces while parsley and freshly shredded carrots were sprinkled overtop of it along with garlic and parmesan cheese. He smiled lightly as she lifted her fork to the salad and poked at it.

"It's incredible," She said, laughing before stabbing the lettuce with her fork and bringing to her mouth. "Thank you."

Athrun nodded and his ears perked when he heard someone calling his name. Straightening, he looked around and waved when he saw Lacus and Kira making there way through the crowds. Kira was dressed in a suit very much like his except he had done up the last button on his collar while Lacus was dressed in a small yet fashionable purple dress. She was wearing her pink hair down but had had flowers woven into it although Athrun was convinced he liked Cagalli's hair better.

"Athrun!" Kira called and grinned as the two of them moved to their table. "It's great to see you here! I'm sorry we're late."

Immediately Athrun stood and offered his seat to Lacus. He bowed politely as she looked at him with bright blue eyes and before he could even comprehend what was happening, she had wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. The contact startled him at first and for a brief second, he wondered what he should be doing. Eventually his mind grasped the situation and he hugged her back.

"It is good to see you are well, Lacus." He smiled graciously as he delicately broke their embrace and stepped aside. "It has been a while."

Lacus nodded, eyes sparkling and she sat down across from Cagalli and motioned towards her respectfully. "It's wonderful to see both of you here." She beamed and tossed her hair back elegantly. "I hope you are both enjoying yourselves."

"We are," Cagalli assured her as she swallowed her mouthful of lettuce before sitting back and resting her hands in her lap. "Everything is very beautiful."

"Well, I love your dress," Lacus continued and shifted her chair as Athrun and Kira sat on either side of her. "And you, Athrun, look very handsome."

Athrun simply smiled. He knew as much and was almost tempted to say that he was well aware of his striking appearance. The four of them ate at the table and chattered about school, midterms, basketball and what they hoped to accomplish during the year. Athrun was surprised, though to find that Kira and Lacus were both extremely interested in his background and life in the PLANTS. Athrun tried to cover up the bitterness he felt as they asked him about his family and particularly his father.

"So he's in politics?" Lacus asked, as she brought a glass of water to her lips.

"Yes," Athrun nodded. "Ever since they formed the PLANTS he's been very involved in the political sphere – trying to do what is best for them. The meetings keep him pretty busy."

"Wow," Kira leaned closer as Athrun continued to speak. "You must not see him too much."

"Every now and then," Athrun replied simply. "I understand that his job takes up a lot of time. Tensions are building again between the earth and the PLANTS so he's been pretty caught up in it all."

Everyone at the table went silent, unsure what to say.

"How do you know so much about this?" Kira asked, scratching his head. "I didn't know there were problems."

Athrun shrugged. "If everything was going well, he wouldn't be so busy all the time." Was his only answer and the group left it at that.

He sat, watching Cagalli finish up her meal, when the music started. Leaning back in his chair, he observed the gathering crowd until he was able to surmise where the single girls were amassing. Much to the envy of Athrun, Kira and Lacus excused themselves and joined the other couples on the dance floor.

"Are you sure you don't want to dance?" He asked, looking out at the couples beginning to move slowly underneath the dancing tent.

"Dancing is for idiots," Cagalli retorted, turning her nose up in the air.

He shrugged and slowly rose to his feet, straightening his coat as he did so. "Well, if that's how you feel about it," He replied, and moved off towards the single girls. He could feel her eyes burning a hole in his back and a satisfied smile crept over his face. He chose a cute brunette from the flock and guided her to the area where everyone else was dancing. The music picked up the tempo and he soared off with the brunette, twisting and turning through the throng of dancers. When the song finished, he chose another girl for the next dance and it didn't take long before everyone realized that the Zala's handsome son was available to dance with.

Cagalli watched in shock as her escort whirled around merrily on the dance floor with girls she didn't even know. She didn't know why, but she was jealous. Shifting irritably she sipped on her drink, wondering whether or not she should get up and try dancing. Athrun seemed to be enjoying himself though.

Resting her face in her hands as she propped her elbows on the table, she watched as Athrun spun another girl around on the dance floor, imagining that it was her.

"Well," A familiar voice huffed behind her and Cagalli looked up to see a long pink pony-tail spin around in the air as a girl about her age flopped down in the chair beside her, arms crossed. Cagalli frowned as she immediately recognized her. It was Meer. "You certainly dressed him up spiffy."

"Athrun dresses himself," Cagalli replied edgily and stiffened. "And yes, he does look very handsome."

Meer tossed her head and scowled. "_Very_ handsome," She repeated and shook her head before firing an angry glare at Cagalli. "He probably would have asked me if it hadn't been for you. Instead, I'm here with Yuna."

"I seriously doubt that," Cagalli muttered, feeling her face darken. "Athrun is afraid of you."

"In time he will change his mind about me." Meer grinned wickedly. "In time…"

"He hates you!" Cagalli insisted and stood up quickly. She didn't need this and she certainly didn't want Meer to make a scene. What bothered her most though was that she was threatening to steal Athrun away from her.

"Not for long he won't," Meer challenged, her voice rising. "And you… you are just a tramp. Jumping from one guy to the next" She shook her head in mocking pity.

"I don't have to listen to you," Cagalli cried furiously. "Athrun would never betray me so stay away from him!"

"You can't tell me what to do." Meer sneered. "One day Athrun Zala will love _me_!"

"Just leave us alone!" Cagalli spat and spun on her heels towards the dance floor. She had only taken two steps when Meer grabbed hold of her shoulder and pulled her back. Cagalli violently pulled away and snapped her head to attention, eyes burning with anger.

"Don't you dare touch me," She hissed darkly and raised her hand as a warning. "Athrun and I are together now so don't you dare try anything."

"Fine," Meer backed down and stepped back. "You can say what you want but you just watch you back. Things just might change."

Cagalli growled lowly but said nothing. She noticed the other students were starting to stare at them and blushed, suddenly embarrassed. She fired one last fuming glare at Meer, silently cursing her for humiliating her like this and stormed off.

From the dance floor, Athrun looked up and saw Cagalli arguing with another girl and mentally groaned when he realized who is was. Oh, how he despised her. He found that he couldn't relax around people like her. Such people seemed to thrive on making others' feel uncomfortable and on edge – himself in particular. It wasn't long though before he saw Cagalli come up behind his dance partner and tap her on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," Cagalli tapped the girl he was dancing with on the shoulder. "I would like to cut in."

"Is he with you?" The girl replied archly, gripping Athrun more tightly. Athrun tensed as he felt her press herself closer to him.

Cagalli blinked and stammered for a moment. "Well, he-"

"Because I kind of like having him with me." the girl continued, smiling broadly at Athrun.

Athrun winced, waiting for Cagalli to take a swing at her, but instead she took a deep breath and refrained from lashing out at the other girl. "Yes he is with me," She stated coldly. "Now, if you don't mind...I'm cutting in. Now."

The other girl sniffed and pushed away from Athrun, Cagalli quickly taking her place. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked innocently, masking his amusement.

"You are supposed to be with me," Cagalli hissed, annoyed by his behavior.

A small laugh escaped him that was barely heard over the music. "Do you really think I'd have it any other way?" he chuckled softly. "You were the one who didn't want to dance, remember?"

"I changed my mind," she growled hotly. "Now dance."

He felt the tension in her grip and suddenly crushed her to him, looking down into her auburn eyes. "Relax and follow me," He instructed. "It's not that hard."

"I know how to dance," Cagalli replied sharply but felt her face redden. Suddenly, she felt the need to defend herself. "I just don't dance like this very much."

"You'll be fine," He reassured her. "You pick up things quickly."

"Of course," She said and tossed her head back proudly. She liked how Athrun seemed to be able to make her feel good about everything and anything regardless as to whether she was talented at it or not. Gradually, the rage she that had built up within her heart melted, replaced by a soothing comfort and ease.

He took her hand and pressed her to him with his other arm, feeling her body tense slightly. The music slowed and he held her, moving in slow circles until she learned to read his movements and her tense muscles relaxed. The melody seemed to wrap around them and hold them suspended in time, and when he looked into her eyes, he felt his entire heart surrender to her. He loved her. From the first moment he had laid eyes on her, he loved her.

"Cagalli," He whispered. "I'm glad that you allowed me to be you escort."

"I know," She replied and grinned back at him. "I…" her eyes dropped as she lost the words. She rested her head on Athrun's chest and closed her eyes, feeling his disappointment. From then on, they just danced.

As they danced, Cagalli noticed that people were beginning to stare at them. The students also had begun to move away from them, isolating them. They whispered and hinted at them and Cagalli could only guess what it was they were saying.

It was only a few hours until dawn before the crowds began to disperse. The next day came early and the teachers were unsympathetic to those who chose to stay up until all hours of the night. The torches were put out, the decorations were cleaned up and the students gathered their jackets and coats, moving off back towards the residences. Athrun ran his fingers over the silken curve of Cagalli's shoulder, her skin gleaming softly in the silvery moonlight. "See, you are a great dancer," he murmured, watching from half-lowered lids as a flush bloomed up her neck.

"Thanks," She replied huskily. "Not as good as you though."

Athrun's upper lip curled slightly as he tried not to blush though he failed miserably. "My mother taught me." He explained gently.

"She did a very good job then."

"Shall we retire?" Athrun asked, offering her his hand. Lacus and Kira had long since vanished after saying a quick goodbye several hours earlier. Athrun had hoped to talk to Kira about a few things but, as he got caught up in dancing, he had missed him. "No matter," He thought to himself. He would see Kira tomorrow anyway.

"Yes," she whispered, taking his extended appendage.

He gripped her hand and whipped her to him, pulling her into his arms and hefting her as if she weighed nothing. "Then let's go," he murmured, and began to make their way back to the residence.

It had been a wonderful night.

**TBC**

Sorry it took me so long to update – this chapter is really, really long. I let Athrun have a break on this one and tried to focus more on Cagalli and Athrun's relationship. I hope you liked it. You may think Cagalli's explanation is a little lame but it will get interesting soon. Besides, i wanted to write up some stuff with them togehter. In the next chapter, I'm going to introduce Athrun to Cagalli's somewhat protective father and then there is also Yuna to deal with hehehhee…

Please review and let me know what you think ok? I love to hear from everyone and thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. If you find serious grammar mistakes, please let me know okay? I hate reading them in other stories so I really do try to make sure I can limit them in mine as well.

Thanks again!

Krilyn


	7. Meeting the Father

Hi!

Thank you for all the wonderful reviews!

I'm sorry I disappeared! I had some personal items that needed dealing with and I couldn't find the time to write. But I am back now so hopefully you all can forgive me. This chapter was my first real effort at any romance so PLEASE be kind when reviewing and please review! I'm struggling for ideas with this story and advice is always appreciated.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed, Gundam Seed Destiny or any other References to it.**

**Warning: Mild teenage 'lust' moments. It's not a lemon (The story is rated T) but well… we were all teenagers right? Teenagers do like to fool around…**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #7: Meeting the Father**

Ever since the dance almost three weeks ago, Athrun felt like he was on top of the world.

Suddenly, it felt as though nothing really mattered. Nothing except Cagalli. Sure, school was hell and he still felt victimized by the system but he wouldn't rather be anywhere else in the world. All the aggravation and stress was worth it because if it hadn't been for that first day, he would have never met Cagalli.

Yes, Athrun decided as he leaned against the rail of the campus library balcony gazing out into the courtyard. Fate had a strange way of bringing people together. Dark clouds were gathering in the sky above, promising rain yet it did little to lessen the heavy humidity in the air. Athrun breathed in deeply and raised an arm to brush away the beads of sweat rolling down his brow.

It was mid-afternoon, the warmest time of the day and Athrun sighed, checking his watch for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Cagalli had promised to meet him for lunch but had yet to show up. Well, it wasn't really lunch since they both worked at the cafeteria thus it was more like an after-school snack. Still, she was nowhere in sight.

Athrun glanced down at the hands rotating slowly on his wristwatch and bit his bottom lip, trying to keep his nerves under control. She was late. What did that mean? Had he done something to upset her? Maybe something had happened to her? What if she had decided she preferred Yuna's company after all?

He shuddered just thinking about. He was new and relatively inexperienced when it came to the dating game. He couldn't read the signals even if they came up and slapped him across the face. Surely Cagalli would tell him if something was wrong… wouldn't she? He wanted to think so but, from conversations with Yzak and Dearka, he had come to realize that girls were difficult to understand. He was starting to feel there may have been some truth to that.

Deciding it best to take his chances and look for Cagalli, Athrun pushed himself away from the rail and grabbed his backpack. He swung it briskly over his shoulder and made his way down the cement steps that lead down from the library balcony and towards the water fountain that was parallel to the large structure. The soft splash of water and the vapor in the air flooded his senses and he smiled inwardly, enjoying the moment.

To him, nothing reached deeper into the soul than water. It was hard to explain but Athrun had always been prone to retreating to bodies of water when he needed to gather his thoughts. Be it an ocean or a pond, it didn't seem to matter. Yesterday, he and Cagalli had spent the entire evening by the lake going over her latest assignment and he had loved it. Oh, how he adored the look in her eyes as he showed her news ways of expressing herself with words in her essays.

Athrun paused, feeling the water vapor in the air kiss his sun-tanned cheeks. It was at that moment that he felt something hard and sharp connect with the side of his head. The blow took caught him unaware and he stumbled forward slightly.

Dropping his school bag, his left hand flew up to where the object had struck and he scowled. His gaze dropped to the ground and his expression darkened when he saw what it was.

A rock.

Athrun's head shot up and snapped to the right where the rock had come from. The blood suddenly began to boil within his veins as his eyes narrowed menacingly. He felt his heart rate suddenly start to increase, pumping enough blood to flush his cheeks a darkening red. He instinctively straightened, growing to his full height as three boys stood before him, grinning amusingly at him.

"Well," The Yuna smirked as he motioned towards Athrun. "I didn't think I would see you here."

"We'll I'm here." Athrun sneered and boldly took a step forward. It was almost as though he didn't realize that he was outnumbered… or simply didn't want to. "You better apologize for that."

"Are you going to make me?" The boy snickered and shook his head before turning serious.

Athrun shrugged. "If I have to."

He wasn't a fool. After all, this was Yuna whom he was dealing with. The boy was merciless in his constant assault both verbal and physical on Athrun regardless as to how he responded. Yuna had singled out Athrun from the moment he had arrived and had made it his personal goal to make Athrun's life difficult. He was always sneaky about it though and got at Athrun in ways that he could never retaliate. That was what bothered Athrun the most. Yuna knew about Athrun's sour relationship with the principal and also knew that the other boy was trying to be cautious so he used that against him whenever he could.

The purple-haired boy grinned at Athrun's brave words and approached slowly, his two friends following close behind. Despite holding his ground, Athrun couldn't help but notice the uselessness of the situation. Yuna and had brought along his two cronies, Jean and Marcel, who were bigger built, more muscular, and had bad attitudes, which had warranted them the respect of the other boys on campus. Yuna himself was quit cowardly and would never fight unless he had the other two with him because with them, he knew he would always win. The trio was a force to be reckoned with, and everyone gave them their space, avoiding them at all cost, except Athrun, who had refused to be bullied by either one or all of them. It had caused him a lot of grief but Yuna had never crushed his pride and he never would.

"I told my friends here about what you did," Yuna continued. "They were pretty upset about the whole situation. Stealing another guy's girl is pretty low…"

"Look," Athrun eyed the three boys carefully. "I don't want any trouble with you today. Just leave me alone."

"Are you afraid?"

"Of you?" Athrun scoffed and shook his head. "Not likely. We both know who would win in a fight."

"Then why won't you prove it since you're so quick to talk?" Yuna urged. He couldn't help but smile as Athrun's entire frame trembled in rage

"I shouldn't have to prove it." Athrun snapped and slowly lowered his arms to his sides. He could see that the three boys were starting to form a circle around him but chose to ignore it.

"Gutless loser. Mind you, Cagalli was always a bit of a butch so I guess she'd go for prissy little boys," Yuna knew what strings to pull in order to get a reaction from Athrun and he was doing just that. If taunting him would not get a reaction from Athrun then insulting Cagalli certainly would.

"Shut up," Athrun warned dangerously.

"You know it's true," Yuna insisted and pointed knowingly at the shorter boy. "If it wasn't for her hot shot father, everyone would hate her. She's a total dipstick and a flunky. She's so stupid it probably takes her two hours of studying just to remember to write her name on her test paper. She really shouldn't even be in this school… and neither should you."

"Don't talk about Cagalli that way," Athrun growled, his temper flaring up once again.

"But don't worry Athrun, you can keep her." Yuna grinned cruelly. "You know, she acts a lot like a boy… maybe you should check under her skirt just to make sure…"

"I said shut up!"

Athrun's blood pressure was rising and he could feel his heart pumping pools of blood through his bulging veins. Very few people did he reserve the word 'hate' for since it was such a strong and powerful emotion. Yet, at this point, hate didn't seem strong enough to express what it was he was feeling.

With that, all common sense left Athrun's eyes, leaving them wild with blinded rage. Yuna had hit a nerve. Yuna had attacked Athrun's only weakness… any young man's weakness… his girlfriend. Like an untamed animal Athrun sprang to life and leapt at Yuna, lunging for his throat.

Yuna was taken by surprise and threw his hands up in self-defense as Athrun crashed into him with full force. Athrun's left fist flew out but Yuna managed to jerk to the right, avoiding the blow, and responded with a swing of his own. He caught Athrun in the right eye causing him to stagger back for a moment, temporarily stunned.

Taking advantage of Athrun's hesitation, Yuna charged and, grabbing hold of Athrun's jacket tried to hull the shorter boy down to the ground. Scrambling, Athrun snatched Yuna's t-shirt and desperately fought to pull it over his head in an attempt to blind him.

The two boys moved in a wild circle, each one yanking and tugging at the other, waiting for one to finally yield. Unknowingly, they continued to swing each other around until they were just inches from the fountain. It was about pride, it was about resistance and it was about principle. It was about two boys who hated each other more than ever thought possible.

"Take that back!" Athrun spat, his face now a flaming red. "You take that back right now!"

"NO!"

Athrun was so focused on Yuna that he failed to notice that Marcel had broken away from the group and when Marcel jumped onto his back, Athrun lost his grip on Yuna and was knocked instantly towards the fountain. Athrun stumbled awkwardly, trying to maintain his balance. So caught up in the dispute, he hadn't noticed the elderly man with a briefcase under his arm leisurely walking past them and trying to slip between them and the fountain. At least, he hadn't noticed until his balance finally gave way and he crashed into the man.

Desperate, Athrun instinctively latched onto the man's arm to try to keep himself upright but he failed miserably. Both of them fell into the fountain, spraying water up into the air.

The shock of the cold water sent Athrun reeling as he immediately shot up like a bullet, coughing and sputtering. Completely soaked, he winced when he heard the horrid laughter of Yuna and his friends as they quickly scampered off towards the library. It felt as if someone had just poured poison in his ears.

"See you around loser!"

Beads of angry sweat and water tricked down his forehead as Athrun inhaled deeply. He was about to hull himself out of the water when he heard an angry roar to his left. Wincing, Athrun dared a quick glance to the side and noticed that the man he had accidentally pushed into the fountain was already on his feet.

He was reasonably tall and dressed in a now-drenched, plume-colored suit. He had a neatly trimmed gray beard, a mustache and long grey hair that had been combed back. Sopping wet, the man fired Athrun an enraged glare as he stepped out of the water and back onto the cement.

"For the love of God!" He practically shouted. "What do think you are doing! Brawling in the school yard like a bucking mule! What is that matter with you kids these days? Such a primitive display of behavior! Where are you manners, boy?"

The man's eyes bored into the youth, examining the name embroidered on the collar of Athrun's jacket – A. Zala. His expression darkened. "Are you Patrick Zala's son?"

Lost for words, Athrun nodded.

"Well," The elder grumped. "That certainly explains a lot."

Athrun felt his lips moving but no words seemed to come out. He just sat there, knee-high in water as the fountain continued to rain droplets onto his head. "I… I'm sorry…"

"Well sorry is not going to dry me off now is it young man!" The elder vented as he snatched his floating brief case up and out of the fountain. Not waiting for any further response from the boy, he stormed off muttering something about stupid teenagers.

Frozen, Athrun didn't dare move until he was sure the man was out of eyeshot. Then, very slowly, he pulled himself to his feet and crawled out of the fountain. He felt his feet squishing in his shoes as they squeaked. He was completely sodden and resisted the urge to shake himself as a wet dog would to try and get some of the excess water off of him.

Deep down, he felt guilty about dragging the old man into the water with him but his guilt quickly melted into anger for Yuna. How dare he say such things about Cagalli. He had no right to talk about her that way and he didn't care how many times he got thrown into the fountain. He would not let anybody belittle her.

Nervously, Athrun glanced about the courtyard, wondering if anyone had witnessed the public display of male stupidity. He suddenly felt very self conscious and sunk deeper into himself as he realized how sloppy he must have appeared. Aside from that, his t-shirt was starting to cling to his skin, leaving very little to the female imagination. He knew he cut a trim figure but that didn't mean he liked to flaunt it like so many of the other boys did. In fact, he preferred looser clothing that was more comfortable.

At that moment, he spotted a pink ponytail across the yard and his heart froze. It was Meer. She seemed to notice him as well for she had stopped and, just as he had during basketball, he could feel her eyes on him. He did the only thing he felt he could.

Athrun grabbed his school bag and darted off back towards the residences.

It wasn't far and it didn't take long for Athrun to scurry up to Cagalli's room and close the door behind him. Throwing his shoes off his feet, he raised his left leg and reached down to pull off his wet socks. He hopped around on one foot for several moments before he managed to get the first sock off and then quickly removed the second.

The upward heave he put into removing the second sock was enough to send him toppling over but he was able to land on Cagalli's bed to avoid hitting the unforgiving floor.

_Blast it! She'll kill me if I get her bed sheets wet!_

Athrun leapt upright and scrambled to change into a dry set of clothes. He successfully slipped into a dry pair of underwear and jeans but as he lifted his shirt over his head, it stuck to his body like glue. Mildly annoyed, he tugged harder, trying to slip his head through and soon he was stuck. Pulling frantically, Athrun froze when he heard the 'click' of a key unlocking the door.

That reinforced his efforts and he continued to yank at his shirt, desperately trying to get it off. Blinded, Athrun had to rely on his other senses as he heard the creak of the door opening and the sound of footsteps coming towards him. The sweet smell of peppermint filled his nostrils and he felt his face redden beneath his shirt. It was Cagalli.

"Why Athrun," Her sing-song voice sung out, making his blush deepen. "You've been working out."

Athrun felt a shudder rush down his spine as he realized that his chest and middle were completely exposed to her unblinking eyes as he stumbled around the room blindly. His attempts to pull his shirt over his head intensified but it did little good and he only ended up with his arms getting stuck as well.

"C… Cagalli! I'm having a little trouble here I…"

He was cut off when he felt her gentle hand come to rest upon his chest, slightly above his rapidly beating heart. The sudden contact numbed his brain. Athrun, who was already in an awkward position and horribly off balance, felt his legs suddenly melt to nothing and give out beneath him.

"I… give me a sec… gah!" He yelped as he started to fall.

"Athrun!" Cagalli cried, her arms flying up to try and keep him upright. They ended up falling on the bed, Cagalli lying above Athrun, pinning him down. Both sighed in relief and Athrun coughed weakly.

"Ouch."

"Are you okay?" Cagalli asked worriedly. Gently she reached up and pulled Athrun's wet shirt down to free his arms and look down into his emerald eyes.

"Your bed… I'm going to get it all wet…"

The blonde just grinned and brought her hand forward, inhaling his soft scent. She watched him, her eyes shinning with love and content. Athrun looked so incredibly gorgeous despite the fact that somehow he had managed to get himself soaked to the bone and his hair was tangled. Thanks to him, she had also received her first A in class that day and felt it necessary to thank him. An A! She had earned an A and it was thanks to him.

"You worry far too much," She whispered and when his eyes met hers, she couldn't help but lean down and kiss his lush lips.

Athrun was a bit startled by the sudden kiss, but he welcomed it nonetheless. He raised his head up, pressing his lips against the beautiful girl above him. He felt Cagalli move and he did the same, both wrapping their arms around each other. Cagalli moaned as she deepened the kiss, shifting her body so she was lying more on the bed than on Athrun, one of Athrun's legs between her own.

They kissed long and deep, tasting each other, moaning and purring at the same time. Cagalli's hand slowly climbed up Athrun's damp shirt, caressing the soft, dripping skin. Athrun purred at the gentle touch, his own hands sliding up and down Cagalli's back in long and sensuous motions.

"Mumm...Athrun..." Cagalli moaned, burying her face between Athrun's neck and shoulder. She began kissing the slender white neck, feeling Athrun shiver underneath her.

"C-Cagalli..." The boy purred, thrusting his head aside to give her hot tongue more room to play.

Cagalli felt Athrun move beneath her and smirked. She moved her tongue up and down his neck, stopping to nibble at his soft earlobe. By that point Athrun was making so many cute little noises, Cagalli thought she could go on forever if it meant hearing Athrun moaning and purring like this. It was heaven. It was one thing she loved about him. He was always so gentle with her, never urging her into a position that she was uncomfortable with. He let her select the pace, the times, the moments and she loved that.

Eventually, she pulled away, allowing Athrun to sit up. Smiling, she brushed a few stray strands of hair from his eyes. "I'm sorry I was late," She told him sweetly. " Do you remember that essay you helped me with? I got an A. I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"No, not long," Athrun managed as he slowly started to come down from the stars. "What kept you?"

"My father has just arrived from Orb," Cagalli explained and sighed. "He's here to attend a conference this week and decided to just show up on campus to visit me. He has a meeting tonight so he wanted to see me this afternoon. I couldn't very well say no."

Athrun shook his head mechanically in agreement. He was still tingling and surprised as well as impressed by all the things Cagalli could do with her tongue. He shuddered as he felt himself grow warm just thinking about it. "I understand."

"I'd like you to meet him," Cagalli continued, throwing Athrun a nervous smile. "He's a nice man and I think he'd like to meet the young man who stole his daughter's heart away." She gave Athrun a playful jab in the gut as if to emphasis the point.

"Do you really think that is a good idea?"

"Why not?"

"He may not like me."

Cagalli straightened and frowned. "Why not?" She repeated again.

"A lot of people don't like me." Athrun pointed out.

"This is my father we're talking about," Cagalli replied and stood up. Athrun followed and quickly took the opportunity to slip his shirt off and throw on a fresh, dry one. "I'm sure everything will be fine."

Athrun couldn't help but think she was being a little optimistic but he was in no position to question her. There was a long silence between them before he cast a weary glance towards the window. The sun was fading, making its noble descent and soon, the moon would claim the sky.

"Hey, Athrun," He heard Cagalli take a deep breath behind him. "Did you want to go for a walk? Since we never did get to have lunch… or dinner?"

"By the lake?"

Cagalli nodded.

"It's supposed to rain…"

Cagalli just smiled. "You're already wet."

Athrun didn't need any further reassurance. Slipping his hand over hers, the two of them snuck out of the dorm and into the open air. The temperature had dropped considerably and Cagalli instinctively snuggled up closer to Athrun as they walked, hoping to benefit from the warmth radiating off his body. A small frown creased her features as she realized that his body was still damp.

"Athrun?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you get soaked in the first place?"

Athrun blushed and turned away from her, hoping she couldn't see the embarrassment in his eyes. As they drew closer to the lakeshore, Athrun tried to figure out the best way to explain the circumstances which had let to his getting drenched. Deciding not to answer, Athrun instead helped Cagalli sit down on a dry patch of grass against a large oak tree that hung over the water.

When he sat down beside her, she looked over at him expectantly. "Well?"

"Yuna."

It was one word but somehow it all made sense… sort of…

"Yuna threw you into the fountain on campus?"

"No," Athrun turned his nose up, suddenly indignant. "His friend pushed me. We were fighting and he snuck up on me."

Cagalli shifted so that she was facing Athrun and silently willed him to look at her. "Why were you fighting?"

"He insulted you."

Cagalli blinked, unsure what to say. "Athrun that's hardly a reason…"

"It's a very good reason," Athrun cut her off and straightened defiantly, remnants of anger slowly returning as he thought about what had happened. "He said terrible things about you Cagalli. I don't care if he insults me but I won't let him do that to you. I can't."

Cagalli grinned and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "You know something Athrun? You have to be the funniest guy I've ever met."

"Oh?" Athrun raised a questioning eyebrow. "Why is that?"

Cagalli winked and reaching for Athrun's hand, she yanked him towards her. Athrun yelped at being pulled so hard as Cagalli pinned him against the tree, putting her arms at each side of his head. "Because you never make the first move…and you never catch my signals…do you even know why I wanted to come to the lake?" She asked huskily, leaning her head down towards him.

Stunned, Athrun managed to slightly shake his head.

Cagalli smiled and began nibbling at Athrun's earlobe, knowing how it drove him wild. "To make out..." She whispered in his ear, voice filled with lust. She exhaled softly into Athrun's ear, and the young man shuddered, nearly melting at the teasing touch. "What do you say?"

Athrun's eyes darted around before meeting hers and holding her gaze. "Cagalli…someone might see…"

"Let them see." She smiled seductively. "You've already been thrown into the fountain once today… maybe we'll both get thrown in this time."

Athrun was about to open his mouth and protest, but Cagalli beat him to it, sealing his lips with a soul-searing kiss. It wasn't long before Athrun's body responded and he wrapped his arms around Cagalli, opening his mouth and welcoming the hot and wet tongue inside. He moaned from the depth of his throat, feeling himself being pressed up against the tree. Cagalli pressed her body against Athrun as she deepened their kiss, ravishing Athrun's sweet mouth. Athrun thought he heard the tree creak beneath them but made no motion to break away from her.

When Cagalli finally pulled back, Athrun raised a hand to caress her face. He tucked a few stray, blonde hairs behind Cagalli's ears and watched the girl close her eyes at the sensation. His fingers lingered on Cagalli's skin for a while, tracing the contours of her ear. He rubbed his thumb over the softness beneath it and then slowly leaned forward to flick at it teasingly with his tongue.

Cagalli's breath caught in her throat and Athrun felt her shudder. She sat tense and still as Athrun moved his hands to touch her, sneaking under her shirt to glide over the hot skin of her lower back. All the while, his lips and tongue nibbled expertly at Cagalli's ear, slowly making their way down until he met her lips.

Cagalli was panting harshly by the time they kissed, a wild, primal gleam in her eyes. Need and passion brought her confidence back and she pushed against Athrun, urging him to continue. He was so good this! Her arms rose to mimic the motions Athrun made moments before. They kissed passionately, moving against each other, attempting to be as close as possible. It was not their first kiss, nor was it the first time they had touched but never had the contact been this intense.

Each touch and movement stirred more hunger, slick mouths and eager hands erecting passion in both of them.

Kisses became sloppy as their thrill grew. Every touch was electrifying, every kiss hot, wet, and hungry. Limbs searched for where to touch, to caress. Loud panting and small moaning filled the evening sky.

In their haze of passion both had forgotten about uncertainty and expectation. Nothing mattered but the need to touch, to explore, to be drowned by the sounds of desire the other made. Every little moan was new and exciting and they searched for ways to evoke more sounds, more pleasure, more of everything. It was a slow yet passionate journey, the moments melting into warm, soft sensations.

It took all of Athrun's will power to finally withdraw from her, knowing that if he didn't now, he probably wouldn't be able to at all. He loved her so much. For once in his life he felt loved for being who he was, not what people wanted him to be. Cagalli loved him for being him and that very notion made his heart soar.

"Athrun, I love you," Cagalli whispered hoarsely as she brought up a hand to wipe away the sweat that was forming on his brow. "I love you so much."

"Cagalli, I…"

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!"

"Father!"

Athrun felt Cagalli suddenly bolt upright, almost throwing him off of her. It was then that he had realized that at one point, they had reversed their positions with him being on top. Before Athrun could wrap his mind around Cagalli's abrupt movement, he felt an iron hand clamp down on his shoulder and drag him off of Cagalli all together.

A sharp gasp escaped his lips as he was thrown roughly to the ground. Trying to gather his senses, Athrun looked up only to find himself staring into the raging orbs of an older man. The elder was trembling, seemingly lost in a sea of fury. He didn't understand – he hadn't done anything wrong! It was then that the moonlight suddenly shifted and his eyes widened.

It was the same man he had accidentally taken into the fountain with him earlier that day. Frantically, he scrambled backward on all fours, only then realizing the top buttons of his jacket had been undone… when did that happen!

The man's eyes narrowed in recognition as he glared down at the distraught youth at his feet. Stepping in between the two teens, his expression darkened as he too made the connection.

"You!" He gasped. "Again!"

Cagalli leapt up to her feet and quickly flattened out her shirt, which had been crinkled, and straightened. She held her breath, trying to cover up her disheveled appearance. "Father, I can explain…"

"Explain!" Uzumi practically shouted. "How can you explain my only daughter rolling around like a jungle monkey in the dirt with… with… if I hadn't decided to cut through the park after my meeting you might have…." His eyes flashed as he spun around to redirect his anger at Athrun. "How _dare_ you try to take advantage of my daughter! Have you no sense of decency about you, young man!"

"Father, he didn't do anything!" Cagalli cried but her words fell upon deaf ears.

"He might have!" Uzumi's voice raised as his temper flared. Grabbing Cagalli by the arm, he pulled her close to him and fired Athrun a look so vicious that it could have killed the boy. Athrun shrank back as he shakily got to his feet. "Cagalli, your mother would be ashamed of such… such primitive behavior. We raised you better than that!"

"Father, Athrun and I were just…"

"Just what!" Uzumi demanded. "Just about to reach cloud nine!" He took a harsh step towards Athrun, taken back but not surprised when the young man held his ground. "You boys are all alike! Taking advantage of the situation to satisfy your hormonal desires. My God, boy, didn't you stop to think about Cagalli? And what about the risks!"

"Dad, no, it's not like that. Athrun wouldn't…" Cagalli tried again as her father continued to relentlessly bark insults at her boyfriend. Athrun's face had gone completely white, as if he had just seen a ghost, and she was surprised at how tense and quiet he had suddenly become.

"_Well?" _Uzumi growled. "Did you?"

"Listen to me!" Cagalli begged desperately. "We didn't… weren't doing anything wrong!"

"It sure didn't look like that to me!"

"We weren't!"

"He was on top of you!"

"You are not _listening_! It's not what it looked like!"

"Cagalli, of all the stupid things you have done in your life this has to top them all! Allowing yourself to be pressured by this boy into almost doing something that could have so many consequences… I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am in you!"

"You shouldn't be disappointed in your daughter, Sir."

Athrun finally found his voice, though his words were just barely above a hoarse whisper. Inhaling deeply, he tried to steady his trembling voice. "She's telling the truth. I wasn't taking advantage of her and we weren't going to do anything … presumptuous."

"If I were you, _young man_, I would be keeping very quiet right now," Uzumi's voice dropped menacingly and Athrun immediately closed his mouth to prevent any other sounds from slipping past his lips.

"Come, Cagalli," Uzumi grumbled, pulling his daughter behind him. "I need to have a talk with you. We're going to your room where we will discuss this matter _privately_."

Athrun and Cagalli exchanged brief glances. Neither had to speak to understand the message that shone so brilliantly in Cagalli's eyes – Athrun was not to come back to the residence that night.

As Uzumi stormed off with Cagalli in tow, Athrun slumped, letting his arms relax at his sides. Somehow, that wasn't the way he had imagined meeting Cagalli's father for the first time.

**TBC**

I hope you enjoyed it! Athrun might seem a little passive but I figured he'd be paranoid about scaring Cagalli away… that's my reasoning lol. That's probably the closest thing to a 'lemon' I'll ever write just because I don't really care for them myself. Poor Athrun, things will get worse before they get better hehehe. You can't really blame Cagalli's father though…I can only imagine what my dad would say if he caught me with my bf like that… shudders

I did read this over a couple times but there probably still are grammar mistakes… I'm sorry and I hope they don't take away too much from the story.

Thanks for reading and please review! How is the chapter length? Too long? Perhaps I should try to make the next one shorter?

Until next time!

Krilyn


	8. Like Father, Like Son

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I loved reading them and I am so happy you are all enjoying the story. Meeting your love interests' parents is always tough eh? Surely everyone can relate? Well, I can anyway. hehhe

This will be my only project until it's finished so hopefully updates will become more frequent crosses fingers

I hope you like this chapter – it was really tough to write.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Seed.

**Gundam Seed: Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #8: Like Father, Like Son**

He was back on the 10th floor of the library in his cubical, his jacket hung loosely over the back of his chair. He had no where else to go.

For a long while, he just stared into the table, analyzing every detail of the engrained wood surface in front of him. He held onto himself tightly, arms crossed, as he sat there slumped over, hair falling over his wide eyes. He knew he would have bruises on his upper arms from grasping them so hard but he didn't care. He felt no pain. In fact, he felt nothing at all. It was as if he had gone completely numb.

His harsh breathing pounded in his ear drums, the sound jarring and blaring as it competed with the loud, rapid thumping of his heart against his chest. His skin had gone white and his green eyes were wide with unmasked shock.

What had just happened? Athrun felt small tremors wrack his thin frame and he shuddered under their ruthless assault. What the hell had just happened! Again and again he replayed the event in his mind, hoping that repetition would make the disaster a little easier to accept. It did not. Instead, the degree of the catastrophe only intensified as truths molded with lies in his mind and made the encounter with Cagalli's father that much worse.

_How dare you try to take advantage of my daughter! Have you no sense of decency about you, young man!"_

Athrun felt his skin tighten as he swallowed, trying to moisten his dry throat.

_You boys are all alike! Taking advantage of the situation to satisfy your hormonal desires. My God, boy, didn't you stop to think about Cagalli? _

Athrun closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it anymore. Any chances of being accepted by the man had been shattered. The flicker of hope had been snuffed… and Cagalli? How was she going to handle all this? Would she still want to see him after this? It wasn't right for him to expect her to. He would only get in her way and the last thing he wanted was to destroy a daughter-father relationship. For him, such a bond was priceless… perhaps he felt that way because he lacked one.

Sitting there in silence, Athrun tensed. Nobody ever came to the 10th floor thus it was dark and its shelves were untouched. Once a week the staff would dust but there was almost no need. Everything was in order, making the area appear lifeless and lonely. A sad smile spilt the young man's lips as he raised his head slightly, thinking about the cruel irony of the situation.

He too felt lifeless and lonely. Everything suddenly seemed surreal. It was as though he somehow belonged there. Hidden on the 10th floor, away from everything. In many ways, Athrun felt cheated.

Casting a wary eye about the area to be sure that nobody was around, he let his shoulders to slump and he leaned forward to place his elbows on the desk. Using them as a pillow, he then hunched over and allowed his head to rest upon them. The emotional anguish of the day had sucked the life right out of him and Athrun could feel his eyelids growing heavy.

He shifted in his chair until he figured he was as comfortable as one could get in a cubical. Forcing himself to relax, Athrun exhaled softly in an attempt to even out his breathing. Life just wasn't fair.

"I don't understand," He muttered to nobody in particular as his eyes gradually drifted shut. "I never did anything wrong so why do all these awful things keep happening to me?"

He knew what he had to do tomorrow when he saw Cagalli. He just really, really didn't want to...

"Dad! Dad, stop it!" Cagalli cried as he all but dragged his daughter up to her dorm. She stumbled to keep up with him as he threw the door to her room open and stormed in. "Dad!"

Uzumi stopped short as he carefully analyzed her room, his eyes searching. Cagalli held her breath as her gaze dropped to the sleeping bag and suitcase tucked away neatly alongside her bed. They belonged to Athrun. Uzumi also seemed to notice them, and raised a questioning eyebrow. "What is this?"

Cagalli swallowed nervously and straightened. "Sometimes my friend stays here the night."

"Friend?"

Cagalli nodded, teetering on her heels. "Yes…"

"And who might this _friend_ be?"

Cagalli knew that lying was wrong but at the same time she also knew that replying with 'Athrun Zala' was like pouring oil onto an already blazing fire. She sent a quick pray to the gods to forgive her and blurted out the first name that came to her mind. "Lacus Clyne."

Uzumi blinked. "Lacus?"

Cagalli nodded again and watched as her father prowled around her room like a cat hunting its prey. His brow was creased and he seemed doubtful. Her heart caught in her throat as she noticed that Athrun hadn't bothered to put away his damp shirt. Instead, it had been tossed aside casually in the corner of her room. She made a motion to reach down and grab it but it was too late. Her father had already seen the sodden piece of clothing and intercepted her.

He picked it up as if he were a detective who had just found a startling piece of evidence. "I recognize this," He told her darkly. "_He's _been in here, hasn't he?"

"He… he just needed to change his clothes because they were wet and …."

"Change!" Uzumi exploded. "You mean you let that boy run around your room naked!"

"NO!" Cagalli felt her own blood pressure rising as all the blood rushed to her head, fueling her own anger and frustration. "Do you think that little of me!"

Uzumi saw tears shimmering in his daughters eyes and his expression softened somewhat. He dropped Athrun's shirt and gently took Cagalli's hand, guiding her to her bed where they both sat down across from one another. "No, Cagalli. It is not you that I'm concerned about. It's him."

Desperately, Cagalli tried to blink back the tears that were leaking from the corners of her eyes. "He is not a bad person, you know." She croaked and shuddered bitterly. "He helps me with school and he actually cares about me. He would never take advantage of me."

"I wish I could believe that," Uzumi replied, trying to steady his trembling voice. "What happened to Yuna? He was a nice, young man and he comes from a good family."

"Yuna?" Cagalli jolted, alarmed by the very mentioning of his name. "Yuna doesn't care about me. He doesn't treat me well at all! In fact, he's rude, harsh, uncaring… Dad, how could you be so horrible to Athrun and think so fondly of Yuna Saran?"

Cagalli saw something flash across her father's face and suddenly he appeared much older than his years. It wasn't anger she saw rather it was sadness. The kind of sadness she had seen in his eyes many times when dealing with his work and the politicians of the Earth and the PLANTS. She felt him shift beside her as he wrestled with the words he wanted to say.

"Cagalli," Uzumi inhaled deeply. "Athrun Zala is the son of Patrick Zala, one of the many representatives in space who believe that Coordinators are a different race altogether. He isn't interested in peace or harmony or the well-being of mankind. He manipulates people and uses them to his own advantage. Once they are no longer able to provide any sort of service to him, he drops them as if they were nothing. He destroys them."

Cagalli didn't understand. Leaning forward, her intense auburn eyes met those of her father. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Athrun is his father's son," Uzumi told her simply. "I can't help but wonder if he shares his father's values. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Why should it matter whose son he is?" Cagalli demanded. "Just because you don't like his father doesn't mean that you should paint Athrun with the same brush! You haven't even spoken with him!"

"Yuna is from Orb," Uzumi continued, his pace quickening as he hurried to get everything out before Cagalli could cut him off. "He shares our values and our beliefs. His father is a good man and…"

"And Yuna is a complete jerk!" Cagalli blurted out. Furious, she leapt to her feet to distance herself from her father. "What gives you the right to judge Athrun like this! He's nothing like his father… if you would just speak with him…"

"For heaven's sake, Cagalli! He is Patrick Zala's child! Can't you understand that!"

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"It means that he's been raised with a less than flattering set of values and I do not want you interacting with his kind!"

"And what exactly is _his kind_?" Cagalli stamped her foot. Her eyes narrowed as she saw her life with Athrun, the moments and their times together, evaporating before her very eyes. "You mean Coordinators?"

"I didn't say that," Uzumi corrected. "Patrick Zala is a nuisance in the PLANTS and I'm willing to bet that his son is no different. I mean, the boy is a womanizer. What took place tonight proves that!"

"What!" The young girl's jaw dropped.

"You heard me correctly," Uzumi cleared his throat and straightened to his full height. "He clearly has no respect for you… the way he was all over you. If I hadn't intervened, the situation could have been much, much worse."

"N… no!" Cagalli staggered back as if she'd been dealt a physical blow across the face. "Athrun didn't do anything wrong! It… it was I who suggested we go to the lake, I was the one who made the first move!"

"You will try to protect him," Uzumi declared. "But I know better. I know you, Cagalli. Anyway, what's done is done. Now, tomorrow night, I have a social call I have to attend and I expect you to be there with an escort."

Her resolve hardened. "I'm bringing Athrun."

"What?" Uzumi's eyes bulged. "You most certainly are not!"

"If Athrun can't come than neither will I."

"Do you know what the other delegates will say if my daughter shows up to the party with the son of the most hated and difficult man in space?"

"I don't care." Cagalli pouted.

"You may not," Uzumi snorted. "But I do. I do not want to see you with Athrun Zala anymore."

Something inside of her snapped. Cagalli straightened her shoulders and matched her father's intense glare. She was certainly no longer a child and she was not going to let her father, or anyone else for that matter, decide who she would and would not see. "Father, I am old enough now that I can decide for myself who I want to share my company and time with. I like Athrun. I like him a lot and he likes me. He's kind and gentle and if you just gave him a chance, I know that you would see him as I do."

Uzumi turned away, considering.

"Please father," Cagalli took a step forward. "He makes me happy… don't you want me to be happy?"

"Of course I do," Uzumi sighed, defeated. "I'm sorry, Cagalli. I guess I just over-reacted a bit."

"A bit?" Cagalli raised an eyebrow, causing her father to smile weakly.

"When you have kids of your own, you will understand," Was all he said as he slowly made his way to the door. "If I want you to be at that party then I suppose I have no choice but to allow you to bring Athrun as your escort, hmm?"

Cagalli nodded slightly. "That's right."

Uzumi shook his head nodded his head in goodbye as he took his leave. Judging from the look on his face, Cagalli knew that her father was displeased with her but deep down, she felt that if her father would just speak with Athrun, he would see him the way she did. He wasn't just another boy looking for more than she was willing to give. He wasn't like the others. He put her before everything else and that had earned him a special place in her heart. She would not allow her love for him to be denied.

Heaving a sigh, Cagalli flopped onto her bed, grabbing at her hair in frustration. She could hear the soft wind tapping lightly on her window and knew that it was going to be a cold night. She threw a glance down at Athrun's rolled up sleeping bag and her expression saddened. It was also going to be a lonely one. Quickly changing into her pajamas, she snuggled in beneath her blankets. Before turning off the light, however, she reached over and pulled Kaori from her dresser and tucked him under her arm.

The next morning Cagalli got up early. It was Saturday and seeing how there was no school on Saturday, she set her sights on finding Athrun. She knew he was probably hurting, confused and she desperately wanted to talk to him. The first place she went was the 10th floor of the library and was somewhat surprised to find that he wasn't there. She found his jacket though – lying limp over the back of a chair in the far corner.

_He's been here…_ She thought to herself as she walked down the library steps, his jacket under her arm, and back out into the courtyard. _So where is he?_

Gazing blankly down the path that led into the park, she sighed as the wind ran its airy fingers through her hair. Where would he go? Where could he go? He didn't know the campus too well yet thinking back, she remembered something that he had said to her not long after they had first met.

"_What do you normally do when you're sad?" _She had asked him.

"_Stare at water."_ Had been his answer. "_When I feel lonely or sad I like to stare out into the water. Somehow, that makes me feel better."_

Thinking for a moment, Cagalli turned her attention north. Suddenly she knew where she would find him. The lake…it was the only body of water that Athrun would know of.

And that where she found him – it was a heart breaking sight. Sitting against an elm tree about three meters away from the shore, was Athrun. Resting his arms on his knees, he seemed mesmerized by the gentle waves as they washed up against the pebbles and sand. The wind casually blew strands of hair into his eyes but he didn't seem to care. He just continued to gaze off into the water.

"I thought I would find you here." Cagalli commented as she gradually approached him. There seemed to be a chill radiating off his body and she shivered.

Athrun glanced over at her before he simply shrugged and turned his attention back towards the water.

"You also left your jacket in the library," Cagalli continued as she knelt down beside him, holding out his coat. Still, she received no response.

Staring at him, she silently willed him to look at her yet he wouldn't. He seemed so frighteningly distant, suddenly so very insecure. Taking a deep breath, she carefully put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?" She asked.

"I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did," Athrun muttered and let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry."

Cagalli frowned, surprised by his confession. "Athrun it wasn't your fault," She assured him quickly. Deep down, she suddenly felt as if all the blame could be spilled onto her shoulders. "It's you I'm worried about. After what my father said... I was afraid that you might misunderstand him."

Athrun jerked, instantly whirling around to face her as he straightened. "Misunderstand? I don't think that's possible."

"It is so," Cagalli replied sternly, ignoring the confusion in his deep, emerald eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you had met him before?"

Athrun's mouth dropped for a moment before he answered. "I didn't know that I had met him before."

"My father was just upset," Cagalli tried to explain, seeing the weariness in his tired eyes. "You understand that don't you?"

"Cagalli," Athrun bit his bottom lip. "I've got a lot on my mind right now and I would really like to be left alone."

"You've got nothing to feel ashamed about…"

"I'll be fine. Just don't worry about it."

The way he simply pushed her concern aside angered her and before Cagalli knew what she was saying the words she knew she didn't want to say were coming out at full velocity. "Just don't worry about it! What do you want me to do! Stand aside and watch you wallow in guilt about something that you weren't responsible for! Just be a bystander and wait until you stop feeling sorry for yourself? I don't think so. Now, I am not leaving here until we talk about what happened last night so start talking."

Athrun glared at her, clearly hurt, before he let out a long sigh and slumped. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

"I want to know why you are blaming yourself," Cagalli explained. "We didn't do anything wrong. My father just blew everything out of proportion and said a few things he didn't mean."

"I think he knew what he was saying," Athrun growled cynically. "And I think he meant every word."

"Well, we must have looked pretty… um… comfortable," Cagalli told him. "It must have been a shock for him to see us… the way we were."

"He didn't like me even before that," Athrun shot back, suddenly defensive. Shaking his head, he moaned into his hands. "When he found out who I was… I saw it in his eyes."

"What?" Cagalli frowned. Athrun wasn't making any sense. "What are you taking about?"

Athrun sighed. "When Yuna and I were fighting yesterday, I accidentally pulled your father into the fountain with me. I tried to apologize but he saw the name on my jacket and that was enough to make up his mind about me."

Cagalli's eyes widened as she remembered her father's words. "It's because of your father, isn't it?"

Athrun nodded, unconsciously, clenching a fist. "I know my father has made, I mean, makes a lot of enemies but I get tired of his enemies becoming mine as well. Your father's anger didn't come from you making out with a boy on the lake. It was because it was Patrick Zala's boy you were with."

Cagalli remained silent, amazed at how perceptive he truly was. She knew that Athrun was right. Her father was upset about her behavior but his anger had been fueled more so by the fact that Athrun was Patrick Zala's child. His discussion with her afterwards proved as much.

"Athrun?" She asked and waited till he was looking directly at her and when their eyes locked her heart shattered. He seemed so lost and his eyes were pleading for help, for support, for an escape from the cruel reality of things. "Please, answer this – do you still care about me? About us?"

There was an uncomfortable silence before Athrun finally shook his head once. The uncomfortable silence seemed to last forever, only to be disturbed by the light rustle of the waves making their way to shore. "We both know that your father doesn't like me and will never approve of our relationship. Of course I care about you but I never wanted to come between you and your father."

Cagalli froze, raising an eyebrow. "What… are you suggesting?"

Athrun swallowed. "I…just want to do what's right."

"Are you saying we should forsake our friendship because my father doesn't agree with it?" Cagalli couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No," Athrun shook his head. "If you ever need a friend, I'll always be here for you but I just think we should take a step back for a bit."

Cagalli couldn't believe it. He was pulling away from her again just like he had when he had suspected that she was interested in Yuna. It was happening again. She was loosing him. "Why?" Cagalli's voice was just barely above a whisper.

"Well, I'm only making your life difficult." Athrun told her hesitantly. He shifted uncomfortably on the ground before glancing back towards the water. "Obviously I'm the reason your father is so angry. It isn't right for you to have to choose between us."

"Athrun, I don't care about that. I want to be with you."

Athrun dropped his gaze, continuing with his speech. He knew that if he stopped now he would never have the courage to finish. "You should care." He told her firmly. "Your father loves you. I won't let you throw that all away on my account."

"I spoke with my father," Cagalli tried her best to keep her voice steady. The encounter with her father had hit him hard. "I am to attend an assembly with him tonight and I told him that you would be escorting me. He approved. Are you going to tell me that you won't?"

Athrun looked away as if considering his next words carefully. "I… do you really think that is a good idea?"

"Don't give up on my father," Cagalli begged, now becoming desperate. She loved him. She had never loved anyone in her life more than she loved Athrun Zala. Somehow, even from their first encounter in the registrar's office, she had known that he was special to her. "And don't give up on us. Let him get to know you. He'll like you – I promise. Just give him another chance."

Athrun took a deep breath and nodded. He knew what going to the assembly would mean. It was another opportunity for people to judge him, to frown upon him for the sins of his father. Yet, for Cagalli, he was willing to do what he could to change that. Straightening, Athrun turned to face her. Leaning forward, he answered her with a tight embrace. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close, burying his head in the croak between her neck and collar bone. "Ok," He whispered gently into her ear. "I'll try."

**TBC**

Another long chapter. Hmmm, I'm not very happy with it though. In fact, I'm very unhappy with it but I am so tired of editing it so please forgive me if it is not as interesting as the others. The next chapter will be better – I promise! Athrun's going to the assembly with Cagalli and other people will be there that could possibly cause some trouble. Yes, Uzumi might be a little OOC but I needed him to be like that. He'll get better… think of his behavior as parental concern? Please?

Anyway, thank you so much to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. It means a lot to me. I will try not to make the story so obvious from this point on ok? I'm also not sure if I want a happy ending to this one? Any ideas? What do you think? I'm always happy to take suggestions.

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Krilyn.


	9. A Night Best Forgotten

Hurray!

Another chapter done! This one was fun to write tee hee. I hope you like it! Life is getting busy again with school starting up so if I don't update for a while it doesn't mean I have given up on the story, it means I'm a little tied up.

Enjoy!

Thank you soooo much for the review for the last chapter! They mean a lot to me! Arigato gozaimasu!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed.**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #9: A Night Best Forgotten**

Athrun reluctantly sat down on the edge of Cagalli's bed as she pranced around the room from one side to the other trying to get herself ready for the evening. He watched with bemused curiosity as she stumbled on her heels while trying to do pull her hair through the elastic band that was meant to hold it in place. One of her silver gloves were pulled up to her elbow while the other hung at her wrist and Athrun couldn't help but notice that she hadn't zipped up the back of her dress all the way and the zipper was gradually sinking lower and lower – revealing the creamy, smooth skin of her back to his naked eye.

His cheeks grew hot and he looked away, hoping that Cagalli hadn't noticed him gawking at her. As he turned, he caught a brief glimpse of his own reflection in the mirror on her dresser. For a long moment, he gazed at his reflection, wondering what his own father would think about all this. Athrun shuddered. Such thoughts were best left alone.

"Athrun?"

"Huh?" His head shot up at the sound of Cagalli's voice and he instinctively straightened. Hands on her hips, she was looking him over with a critical eye and the way her eyes moved over him made him inwardly cringe. Suddenly, he felt very, very self-conscious. "What's wrong?"

"Athrun, are you going to where… what you are wearing now?"

"What?" Athrun made a face. He was dressed in his plume suit and leather shoes. He had run a comb through his hair but preferred, more or less, to let it settle itself. "What is wrong with what I am wearing?"

"Nothing," Cagalli bit her lip, clearly struggling with what she wanted to say. "It's just… I thought you could maybe wear something a little different?"

Ready to open his mouth, Athrun quickly stopped himself when she hurried over to her closet and pulled out a plastic bag from beneath a pile of her sweaters that had been carelessly thrown in there throughout the week. Wrestling with the bag, she whirled around and grinned as she pulled out a snow white suit with dark blue lacing. "I bought this for you!" She declared brightly. "About a week ago when Lacus and I went shopping… why don't you wear it?"

It was the ugliest thing he had ever seen. Athrun tried his best not to cringe as he just gaped at the outfit for a few seconds, unsure what to say. "I… um… why can't I just wear what I have on?"

"It would bring out your eyes!"

"Well, um…"

"Don't you like what I bought?"

"Actually, not really," Athrun answered truthfully. "I don't like light colors."

"But the suit you have on is almost red!"

Athrun raised a questioning eyebrow. "It's dark purple."

"Which is almost like red," Cagalli replied, crossing her arms. "And red is a ZAFT color."

"What does that have to does that have to do with anything?"

Cagalli slumped. She knew it sounded terrible but she desperately wanted everything to be perfect. She wanted her father to see just how wonderful Athrun really was and even the simplest thing, such as the color of his suit, could potentially create a ripple in her plan. "Athrun, you know it doesn't matter to me what you wear. It's just that the people at this meeting are from Orb and they will notice things like that. It's not right, I know that, but that's just the way it is. Please? Please wear this?"

Judging from the look in his eyes, Cagalli could tell that he wasn't happy about it but he begrudgingly rose to his feet and took the suit from her before heading off to the men's washroom to change. Cagalli's expression softened as she watched him leave. "Don't forget to comb your hair!" She called to his back as he disappeared behind the door across the hall. "It looks a little messy!"

"I _like_ my hair the way it is!"

Cagalli chuckled at his tart reply and focused on finding her jacket while she waited for Athrun to change. She found it under her bed and, quickly throwing it over her shoulder, she scrambled out of the room to meet her escort.

It took about ten minutes before Athrun finally emerged from the other side of the bathroom door and when he did, Cagalli couldn't help but notice the discomfort that he wore so plainly on his face. The suit fit, though it did look a little tight across the shoulders if one were to study it carefully. The button-less collar seemed to be biting into his throat a bit but aside from that, the length was good. She watched as Athrun stepped out to meet her, twisting to examine his new garments.

"Well?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"I wouldn't do this for anyone else," He mumbled grumpily as he brought up a hand to try and loosen the collar that was beginning to suffocate him. "I hope you know that."

"I know," Cagalli smiled and, leaning into him, ran her fingers along the back of his neck. She chuckled when she felt him quiver under her gentle touch and brushed her fingers down his back with a deliberate slowness. "Thank you."

Athrun shivered as the tingling sensation threatened to override his nervous system. He shuddered a second time, and snaked his arm around her waist, drawing her close.

"Are you nervous?" He felt her whisper the words into his ear and he nodded slightly.

"You forget the only encounters I have had with your father – I pushed him into the fountain and…"

Cagalli blushed. "Let's not talk about that."

Athrun was only too happy to agree and by remaining silent, he acknowledged her request.

There was a strange calmness in the air as the two of them made their way over to the assembly hall where Orb was having its meeting. Both knew that the other was wracked with anxiety and it was a forgone conclusion that neither of them would enjoy the night.

As they approached the assembly hall, Athrun opened the door for Cagalli and allowed her to pass by before closing the door behind him. The room was round and long, fully set tabled stretched across the room in perfectly aligned rows. Blue and white streamers hung from the ceiling and Athrun couldn't help but feel as if all eyes suddenly had fallen on him. There had to be at least two hundred people in the hall – none of which he knew.

"_You're imagining it,"_ he told himself. "_Nobody is looking at you. You're wearing the right clothes, your hair is fine, and there is nothing strange about you. Just act calm. Act calm act calm… actcalmactcalmactcalm…"_

Athrun glanced over at Cagalli and immediately realized that Cagalli had spotted her father. The grip on his hand suddenly became painfully tight and he noticed that Cagalli had gone entirely white- her eyes wide, her pupils large and Athrun could hear her breath catch in her throat. Athrun had seen Cagalli laugh, cry, drunk, scream, and shout but he had never seen her as horrified as she was just then.

"Cagalli?"

Trembling, Cagalli swallowed to try and moisten her now-dry throat as her father and a fellow representative, Yvon Kioshi, approached them, his eyes narrow and forever condescending as he looked upon his daughter's escort. Buried beneath a mop of gray hair and a bushy mustache, his stare was cold and Athrun could only watch as Cagalli shifted nervously beside him, fiddling with her dress.

"Good evening, Cagalli," Uzumi spoke gruffly, his tone anything but friendly as he totally disregarded Athrun. It was as though he wasn't even there. His hand clamped down on his daughter's shoulder and squeezed firmly. "I am glad you could make it."

Cagalli nodded, tongue-tied and at a loss for words. "Uh yes, well, I would like you to meet my escort…"

"Ah yes," Uzumi forced a thin, icy smile. "Athrun Zala."

"It's good to see you well, Sir." Athrun fought to keep his voice from trembling.

"Zala?" Yvon scowled and looked in bewilderment at Uzumi, at Cagalli and then back at Uzumi again as if searching for some sort of evidence to prove that there had been some mistake. Uzumi nodded silently and Yvon straightened, his hard eyes falling upon the tense Coordinator.

Uzumi eyed Cagalli and Athrun for a moment, as if considering whether or not he should say something before he simply shrugged and nodded a second time. "Very well."

As the four of them took their seats, Athrun scrambled aside to offer his seat to Uzumi and Yvon. He tried to throw on his nicest smile despite the curt looks he received as both the elders pushed past him without so much as a word and chose to sit across the table instead. Watching, he hurried over to the chair beside Cagalli and sat down.

No one spoke as Yvon and Uzumi surveyed the couple across from them with a critical eye. Cagalli dug his hands deep into her lap and shifted uncomfortably. Her heart sank when she noticed Yvon's enraged eyes all but smothering the poor boy beside her.

All of a sudden, Cagalli felt her stomach growl and she bit her lip from voicing the discomfort it caused. Why hadn't she used the bathroom before arriving? She shook her head. She didn't want to leave Athrun with her father and especially Yvon Kioshi. Despite everything, the man had a deep-rooted distain for Coordinators and she knew that he would continue to pick and prod at Athrun if given the chance.

Again her stomach did a flop. She had no choice. Getting up, she offered Athrun an apologetic glance before turning to her father. "Please forgive me, but I have to use the facilities."

Uzumi nodded and watched as his only daughter politely excused herself from the table.

Athrun stared at Uzumi and Yvon while they stared back at him, both of them seemingly disinterested in his presence. Shifting into a more comfortable position, Athrun forced himself to relax and tried to smile.

"So, how are things in Orb?" He asked, desperate to break the ice. "I heard there has been a lot of developments...all for the better, I hope."

"I'm surprised your father didn't tell you," Yvon replied frigidly. "However, we've always been very self-sufficient. Never been a burden to the well-being of mankind. Unlike some of those fools up in the PLANTS."

Athrun bit his lip to prevent anything profane from slipping out. Not that Cagalli would blame him if it did but he figured for her sake, he should try to hold everything in.

"Actually, things in the PLANTS are pretty good," He gritted out. "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Everything is very beautiful there."

"That's not an appropriate place to raise children," Yvon shook his head. "Narrow-minded places like that are a horrible influence."

Athrun straightened. How could people from Orb of all places criticize the PLANTS! "As I recall, Cagalli grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood," Athrun replied darkly. "Besides, big cities aren't nearly as safe as small towns. Most of the communities on the PLANTS are tight and safe."

"At least you're guaranteed a job in Orb though," Yvon retorted hotly. "And a culturally rich upbringing."

"And what exactly does that mean?" Athrun demanded.

"It means that you aren't raised a barbarian." Yvon answered simply, disregarding the anger that was smoldering across Athrun's face.

"I believe the term 'barbarian' originated from the people of Earth did it not?"

Uzumi lifted an eyebrow at the boy's reply and leaned forward ever so slightly. "You are a pretty smooth talker, young man." He observed.

"Forgive me, Sir," Athrun did his best to dismiss the dark glares he was receiving from the second Orb Representative. "I meant no disrespect."

"Indeed," Uzumi muttered. "My daughter thinks very highly of you. Tell me something, Athrun, what exactly are your intentions with Cagalli? Despite her tough exterior, she's a gentle soul and I would hate to see her hurt."

Athrun recoiled as if struck. "I would never hurt Cagalli."

"I'd like to believe that," Uzumi shook his head. "You are a smart boy, I can see that. If you care about Cagalli as you say you do, you would let her be. I do not want to see her used as a pawn in the foolish, political games that your father likes to play."

"I wouldn't let that happen." Athrun felt his insides tighten and looked away, no longer able to withstand the hardened glares he was receiving from the other end of the table.

"It could be out of your hands," Uzumi answered firmly. "Things change and sometimes we can't control what is happening around us. Any association with your family could be damaging to Orb as well as Cagalli herself."

"Just as any association with her could be damaging to me?" Athrun questioned.

Uzumi froze, his eyes wide. "Well I…"

"If I felt that Cagalli was in any sort of danger because of me," Athrun took a deep breath. "I would stop seeing her."

"You're being a fool if you think that it would work between you and that charming girl," Yvon piped up. "Your people isolated themselves long ago."

"Dinner!" A waitress called and grimaced when Yvon turned to look at her and she saw the fury in his eyes. The two elders stood and, without a word, Uzumi brushed past Athrun, who was still seated. As they pushed past him, a sharp gasp escaped Athrun's throat when Yvon's elbow caught the back of his chair.

Having returned from the bathroom, Cagalli saw what had happened and fired Athrun a look that distinctly read 'what did just you say to him?' Athrun simply shrugged and tossed her an all-too- innocent smile that read 'nothing that they didn't deserve.'

Athrun lethargically got up and hobbled over to the buffet, mindlessly tossing a few things on his plate and then he sat back down. Despite the miserable company, the steak smelt wonderful and the species flooded his nostrils. The chefs had really outdone themselves. Potatoes, corn, and dumplings – it was a delicious meal.

As everyone, however, began to dig in, Cagalli noticed that her father and his friend were staring intently at their plates, refusing to look her eye to eye. She sighed and looked over at Athrun curiously – he just shook his head.

"So…." Cagalli tried to think of something to say. "Did you have a good discussion while I was gone?' She figured it was a safe question.

"We discussed barbarians," Yvon grunted and looked up at Athrun, noticing he was busy stuffing a mouthful of potatoes in his mouth. "And how they tend to eat with their right hand."

His words were like ice and both Cagalli and Athrun paused. Looking down, they both wore the same frown when they realized what Yvon was suggesting. Flushing, Athrun's eyes widened when he noticed that Cagalli had intentionally switched the hand she was holding her fork in – she too was now eating with her right hand just as he was. Whether it was to spite her father and Yvon, Athrun wasn't sure but he smiled just the same.

"Different customs don't imply that at all," Cagalli tried but Yvon simply waved her off.

"Those who are properly raised should know that there is in fact a proper way to eat," Yvon replied. "It's a shame that such things are lost upon a group that consider themselves superior."

Athrun stiffed as he forced the piece of meat on his fork into his mouth. This man was testing his patience and he wasn't sure how much more he could take. How could Cagalli expect him to share a table with individuals that continually insulted his people, his family and his character?

"Most Coordinators are quit humble," Cagalli replied quickly, sensing Athrun's growing aggravation beside her. "Athrun has helped me quit a bit with school – my marks are improving a lot thanks to him."

"That's good," Uzumi nodded icily and attempted a smile. "I am glad to see that there are some positive aspects of your association with him."

Athrun gritted his teeth and lowered his gaze to his plate, mentally counting to ten. How long had he been here? A quick glance at his watch told him one hour had passed and he moaned inwardly. The assembly didn't end for another two hours.

The same waitress that had announced dinner came by with wine and offered each of them a glass. Athrun made note of the fact that they were eating red meet so, as his mother had taught him, he asked for red wine. Unfortunately, everyone else had opted for white.

"Red wine?" Yvon shook his head in disapproval. "How typical for a child of the PLANTS."

"Representative Kioshi," Uzumi hissed. "That will be enough."

"I'm sorry," The other shook his head. "I just cannot believe you would allow such a disgrace to befall your family. I mean, your daughter with… with Patrick Zala's flesh and blood? After all the trouble that man has caused?"

Cagalli couldn't believe what was happening. She looked over at Athrun who was trying to keep himself from trembling with ire. His eyes burned into the table as he listened to Uzumi and Yvon speak about him as though he wasn't even there.

"Mr. Kioshi, you will treat this boy with the respect he is entitled to."

"No Zala is entitled to any respect of any sort," Yvon huffed. "Besides, knowing ol' Patrick, this kid is probably not even legitimate. Probably the result of a one-night stand with some trashy bawd in space."

"Mr. Kioshi!"

"Oh yes, I forgot," Yvon snarled curtly. "Coordinators meddle with their genetics don't they? Barbaric…"

"Barbarism is a genetic trait," Athrun sneered. Raising his eyes, they locked onto the man across the table and Cagalli had never seen anything so terrifying in her life. Such anger, such hatred and such hurt all swelled together into an incensed glare that would burn through metal. "Only certain groups have it. It also runs parallel to the ass-hole gene which has been found in abundance just west of the Atlantic Ocean."

"My God!" Uzumi gasped as Yvon started to rise, clearly outraged.

"Now you listen to me…"

"I will save you the trouble," Athrun snapped and leapt up from his seat before the older man could. "Don't bother getting up. I'm not going to waste another second of my time here."

Cagalli felt her entire world shatter before her eyes as she reached for Athrun, hoping to calm him down. He simply shrugged off the weak grip she had on his jacket and turned to Yvon and her father. One look at his face and Cagalli immediately could tell that the evening was over. It was all over.

_Damn it all!_

It just wasn't fair. Curse her father for ever allowing Yvon Kioshi into the assembly! Curse him for letting him say those horrible things to Athrun! Curse her for even bringing Athrun! What had she been thinking!

"Athrun…"

"You can insult me and even my father is it suits you," Athrun growled at the stunned Orb leaders. "But no one speaks about my mother that way. I came tonight not because I wanted to but because Cagalli asked me to. I was willing to put aside the differences between us but obviously you are either unable or simply uninterested in doing the same. Goodbye."

"Athrun! Wait!" Cagalli called as he stormed off towards the door. Jumping up, she felt tears threaten to fall as he turned back to her, his expression ice cold. "Athrun!"

"Goodbye, Cagalli."

With that, he left, closing the door to the assembly room behind him.

"N...no..." Cagalli's frustration erupted in the form of anger as she spun around to face her father and the man responsible for ruining the evening entirely. "How could you do that!" She exploded. "How could you say that to him!"

Uzumi could hear the pain in his daughter's voice and it made his heart ache to see her so upset. "Cagalli, I'm sorry about this."

"How could you be so cruel?" She continued, her voice rising. "Athrun is a nice guy! He didn't deserve any of that!"

"Cagalli…"

"To say such things to someone… for no reason at all…" Cagalli forced herself to breath. "I thought Orb was better than that! Athrun is right! The barbarians are the ones like you!" She pointed a finger at Yvon. "People like you!"

Before anyone could say anything more, Cagalli bolted off towards the women's washroom again. She didn't want them to see her cry. She didn't want them to see her weak and breaking at the seams.

Uzumi and Yvon just sat there, stunned. There was a long pause before either of them spoke. Finally, Uzumi stood and picked up his jacket, his face solemn.

"Where are you going?" Yvon asked.

"To find Athrun," Uzumi mumbled under his breath. His eyes then shifted to the slightly shorter man. "And to apologize."

Yvon blinked. "Apologize?"

Uzumi nodded and gradually made his way towards the exit. The one through which Athrun had disappeared not so long ago. "Pack your things, Mr. Kioshi. From this moment on, you are no longer a member of the Orb Assembly. Get out of my sight."

**TBC**

I actually originally wrote this as Uzumi being "Yvon" but then I thought there was no way Uzumi would be THAT nasty so I had to create another character to suit the part. I hope you don't mind.

Anyway, I'm sorry if there are spelling mistakes. This chapter was a little shorter but the next one will be longer and a little more dramatic! Did you like it? Still not sure about a good ending so if anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them!

Thank you!

Until next time,  
Krilyn


	10. Assault

Oh wow!

Thank you so much for all of the lovely reviews! It is so nice to know that you all enjoyed that last chapter! Unfortunately, things will get worse for Athrun before they get better - I'm sorry but that's just the way the story was planned. I had everything planned out except the end… which I still sorta need help with.

Anywayz, please enjoy the story and again, thank you so very, very much for all the kind reviews! I hope I don't disappoint you.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #10: Assault**

"_How typical for a child of the PLANTS"_

Athrun grimaced, picking up his pace as he shuffled through the lonely park situated between the assembly hall and the student residences. The moonlight from above radiated through the thick brush and trees – casting their shadows upon the forlorn boy as he wearily made his way back to the dorm.

He growled from the back of his throat as the collar of his suit bit into his neck. With a tug, he felt the fabric give way under his fingers and let out a heavy sigh as the collar ripped slightly, giving him more room to breath.

"_No Zala is entitled to any respect of any sort."_

Athrun's eyes narrowed as he paused to cast a quick glance over his shoulder in the direction of the assembly hall he had just taken his leave from. He was far enough away now that he couldn't see it entirely but the lights from it seemed to stretch to the stars – a constant reminder of what had happened.

His expression saddened as his eyes followed the fading twinkle in the distance. It was as if he was living in a different world. Cast out into the shadows, he found himself looking out at another world that he could never possibly be a part of – Cagalli's world.

"…_probably the result of a one-night stand with some trashy bawd in space"_

His heart squeezed painfully in his chest and he shook his head, refusing to allow himself to feel any sort of guilt or responsibility for how the evening's events had transpired. How dare they say such things to him! He had done nothing wrong. The harsh words that had escaped his lips had been in response to a horrible insult upon his family and most importantly, his mother. He could overlook many things but such a blatant attack upon his mother was something that could not and _would not_ be dismissed.

Whirling around, he lengthened his strides, wanting nothing more than to burn the suit he was wearing, bury himself beneath his blankets and sleep the night away. Cagalli had meant well by buying him the clothes that she had but after everything that had happened, he felt dirty and soiled with them on.

As he moved further into the brush, he passed the lake that he and Cagalli had spent several special moments by. The water lapped onto the shore as the waves rolled in and he felt a sudden calmness overtake him. Yes, for reasons that couldn't be explained, just being near the lake made him feel better.

Suddenly he frowned, noticing something else. With the grace of a wild cat, he ducked behind the nearest tree when he saw four figures sweep across the shoreline. Three were of a relatively large build while the last one was slender and when a flash of long, pink hair caught his eye, Athrun felt himself blench in disgust.

It was Meer.

Yet something was wrong.

As he watched, the three figures seemed to encircle her, hooting and hollering like drunken mulls. One reached out and playfully pulled at her hair, eliciting a shriek from the young girl as she violently pulled away.

"Go away!"

"Come on princess, back at the bar you liked it when…"

His instincts took over as Athrun sprung into action. Removing his jacket, he carelessly tossed it to the ground and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. With a furious cry, he leapt from behind the shelter of the trees and raced towards them.

"Hey! That's enough! Leave her alone!"

His unannounced appearance startled the three assailants and they quickly took off into the woods, not wanting to be seen or identified. The trailing man, however, wasn't so lucky.

Catching hold of the man's jacket, Athrun angrily pulled him back to the ground. His opponent struggled to free himself but Athrun, who had already been upset, lashed out at him with all his fury and frustration.

The figure before him didn't waste anytime and quickly reaching out, snatched Athrun's hand and flung it aside. Athrun stepped back, the light reflecting off the lake now shifting so he could get a better view of the person before him. When he did, he immediately wished he hadn't.

"Yuna." He growled darkly as he took another quick step forward. Suddenly, all the aggravation and frustration that he had buried since his arrival at the school emerged from within his wounded heart and he found himself needing to exert that anger in some way. His eyes locked on Yuna.

"Athrun…" Was all Yuna could get out before the slightly shorter boy lashed out at him with a fist aimed directly at his head.

Dodging to the left, Yuna awkwardly managed to avoid the hit but was punished as he tripped and felt backward into a nearby tree. The back of his head smashed against the bark and he groaned as the throbbing in his head intensified.

"That's right," Athrun snarled as he pursued his adversary with flaming eyes. "I dare say you didn't expect to see me did you? I bet you didn't expect to see anyone when you tried to hurt this poor girl did you?"

"What are you doing here?" Yuna demanded, hating himself for the fear he allowed to slip through his voice and reach the angry Coordinator's ears.

"I don't think that is any of your business." Athrun spat the words as though they were toxin, causing Yuna to flinch.

Yuna swallowed, his throat dry. Backing up, he blinked, trying to clear his vision and focus. The Athrun Zala before him was not the Athrun he had picked on in the past. This young man was angry and the ire that burned in his emerald eyes told him that if he wasn't careful, he was going to end up in a bad way.

Yuna stepped back slowly, knowing he was running out of space to move. Athrun had him cornered. Shaking his head, he angrily glared daggers at the other boy.

"This doesn't concern you," He sneered darkly, frustrated. "It's between Meer and I. We went out to the bar tonight and had a few drinks – we're just having a little time to ourselves…you've got that stupid blonde so let me have my fun."

"I think that you harassing Meer, who clearly doesn't want anything to do with you, does concern me. Besides, it's about time I paid you back for the kindness and consideration that you have shown me since I arrived." Athrun told him, disregarding all of which Yuna had said.

Athrun's left fist flew out with full force but Yuna jumped right and then forward, trying to escape from the corner he'd been herded into. Yuna stumbled, scrambling to move away from Athrun. He knew he couldn't fight Athrun Zala alone. His only hope was to get away and run.

Flailing out, Athrun managed to ensnare the left sleeve of Yuna's jacket and bore him to the ground. Yuna let out a pained cry as he landed on his stomach and grimaced as the air was forced from his body. Driven by the terror of knowing the consequences if he allowed Athrun to get a hold of him, Yuna kicked back with his foot, fighting as Athrun pulled him backward by the sleeve of his jacket.

"Let go!" Yuna growled and dug his nails into the muddy earth below them as he felt his body being violently wrenched backward. He struggled, kicking and twisting, desperate for escape. "Get off!"

Athrun mumbled something under his breath before giving Yuna's jacket a firm pull, throwing the other boy back into him.

The two boys fell to the ground, wrestling to get the upper hand, one to simply get away. Yuna landed on top of Athrun and immediately tried to roll. His senses were reeling but he fought off the drowsiness and wriggled franticly. They grappled with one another, both ripping and tearing at the other's shirt.

Arms flailing, Yuna felt a hint of satisfaction when he felt his fist connect with something hard. Wrenching forward, Yuna had a moment to look behind him to see what he had hit. Athrun's left cheek bone was bruising with red.

His satisfaction was short lived though when he felt an arm wrap around his neck and pull him back to the ground. Yuna gasped, struggling as he felt the hold around his neck tighten, constricting his airways. He couldn't breathe. Gagging, Yuna snapped his eyes shut, thrashing about in vain as much as his oxygen-deprived body would allow.

The hold around him only tightened and although Yuna tried to pull the arm away with his own hands, he found he simply didn't have the strength to do so. White spots danced in his vision and he groaned weakly, his movements gradually slowing.

"I'm not going to put up with any more nonsense from you," Athrun told him firmly, refusing to let go. "I'm not going to pretend that you are better than me anymore. You will never win in a fight with me."

"A…Athrun…"

"Just remember that." Athrun sneered and with that, threw the other boy to the ground. Yuna coughed and gagged at his feet, trying to catch his breath. Terrified, Yuna took off after his friends, cursing and swearing at the Coordinator that had humiliated him with very little effort.

As Athrun moved towards Meer, he was somewhat amazed and relieved when he saw that she had been unharmed. Brushing away the sweat that had gathered on his brow, he almost gagged when the horrible odor of alcohol overwhelmed his nostrils.

"Meer, you're drunk," He muttered, wrinkling his nose up in repugnance. "What happened?"

"I went out tonight," Meer giggled and hiccupped as her words slurred. Taking a step forward, she slipped and fell to the ground, snickering. "Just on my way home… thank you, Athrun."

"Um, you're welcome." Athrun shifted nervously, unsure what to do next. It was very obvious that Meer had been drinking and he couldn't very well just leave her by the lake. He doubted she even knew where she was.

"Get down and help me," she ordered.

Athrun refused to move, until he felt the sting of Meer's small first against the back of his knee.

"I said help me up!"

Athrun jumped quickly and hurried to do as Meer had demanded. His leg stung from the harsh little blow Meer had rendered to the tender flesh behind his kneecap.

When Athrun's fingers circled the young girl's waist, Meer placed her hands on the boy's shoulders and allowed him to help her up. Once her feet were firmly planted on the ground, Athrun released his hold, but Meer only tightened hers and, taking the boy by surprise, pressed her enticing body against his, which was trapped between the side of a tree and Meer's warm body.

Immediately Athrun tried to wiggle free, but Meer only squeezed herself closer against Athrun's pounding heart. His young face beaded with tiny droplets of perspiration, causing Meer to giggle softly. Her fingers left his shoulders and moved to either side of Athrun's face, tracing the lines in a loving manner.

Athrun felt his body become rigid as he tried to lean his head further back to escape her fervid fingers. He was scared, frightened and very unsure of what this provocative, drunk girl was trying to do to him.

"Get away from me," he muttered between clenched teeth.

"Why Athrun, don't you want me to thank you?" Meer said in an enticing voice, her eyes glazed with an unhealthy and alcohol-induced lust.

She leaned her face down, brushing her lips against his ears and nibbling gently at one lobe.

"No!" she heard the young man say and then laughed when Athrun moaned softly.

"There isn't a guy I have met that doesn't like it, when I do this."

Meer's tongue darted into Athrun's ear, nearly taking the boy's breath away. He tried to turn so that she could not repeat the suggestive move, but his head twisted toward her lips instead of away and when Meer felt Athrun's hot lips brush her cheek, she reacted by covering the boy's with her own.

The girl's lips pressed against Athrun's, sealing their lips as one. Athrun closed his eyes to the pleasantness of the kiss, losing himself in the bewitching moment. A voice from deep within, warned Athrun that this was wrong, that he was betraying Cagalli but Athrun was unable, or unwilling, he wasn't totally sure, to push her away. His five senses seemed to over rule his common sense. It was only when he was aware of her hands clawing at the buttons of his tattered shirt that he awoke to what was happening to him.

His eyes popped open and he began to struggle against the hands that seemed to be everywhere.

"NO!" he managed to shout.

He forced his body upright and pushed Meer away with his hands. Meer, startled by the sudden movement, staggered and fell down into the dirt. When she turned to look up at Athrun, who had moved away, and whose body trembled with fear of what he had allowed to take place, Meer jumped to her feet, swinging her fists at Athrun.

Repeatedly she hit him, ripping his shirt and leaving long thin scratches across his back where he had been forced to turn to keep her nails from disfiguring his face. Eventually, she ripped the thin-fabric right off of him, exposing his upper torso to the cold, evening air.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Meer shrieked loudly.

She was like a woman driven; her aim was deadly as her razor-sharp nails continued their assault on the young man.

And Athrun didn't know what to do. _Meer was a girl! He couldn't hit a girl! But she was hurting him! But he couldn't hit her! But…_ Athrun shuddered as his thoughts continued to spin in wild circles

When Meer stopped to catch her breath, he took the opportunity to scurry a few feet away from her. Exhausted, Athrun dropped to his knees.

He heard Meer sigh deeply and when she knelt down in front of him, he cringed and raised a protective arm to his face. Meer's hands gently clasped Athrun's arm and moved it away.

"Don't worry, Athrun," she said in a sweet, slurred voice. "I won't tell anyone what you did…honest. But you have to be nice to me, or I might change my mind."

Athrun jerked his head up, staring in disbelief at the girl in front of him. He pulled his arm free of her hands and quickly stood to his feet. When Meer rose as well, Athrun stepped back away from her flailing arms.

"What I did?" he stammered, "I didn't do anything…you…you…"

Meer's insane, alcohol-induced laughter caused Athrun's words to falter and he instantly hushed.

"Oh don't be stupid…I didn't do a thing to you…it was you who attacked me!"

She laughed again, loudly, wickedly, and took a step closer to Athrun. She had placed her hands on her hips and her body swayed seductively in front of the startled, speechless boy.

"No one will ever believe that I tried to seduce you…especially the principal. I know all about the trouble you've had with her… one more strike and you will be out of this school won't you? And what will your parents say? If you say anything, I will tell everyone that we met here, in this very spot and that you became overly excited when I accidentally brushed up against you. When I tried to push you away, you became enraged and tried to attack me. All you have to do is dump Cagalli and I will keep our encounter here a secret."

Meer smiled at the frightened look on Athrun's face and gently brushed her fingers across his cheek. Athrun slapped at her hand, knocking her arm away.

"You're nothing but a bitch," he whispered.

The slap to his cheek had stung. Meer had left the impression of her handprint on the side of his face.

"Don't you ever call me that again!" she practically screamed in Athrun's face.

Meer moved to the tree where Athrun had left his jacket and picked it up off the forest floor. When she turned around, she held it up teasingly before his wide eyes. "You may want to cover yourself."

Instinctively, Athrun took several steps backward, trying to distance himself from the prying eyes that raked his bare chest. Athrun wasn't sure what one would call the look in the girl's eyes. But Athrun knew he had seen it before, in his father's dark eyes while he had been hiding, watching as his father's hand tried to explore his mother's body while of his parents had been unaware of his presence.

"Come here," she ordered him.

"No…just give me my jacket so I…" stammered Athrun.

"In a minute. I said, come over here," she said with more force.

Athrun refused to move and shook his head no. What happened next awakened an all new terror within his core. Without any warning at all, Meer began to tear at her own purple dress until it looked in similar condition to Athrun's now-disregarded shirt.

"Wh…what are you doing?"

"I'll scream," Meer threatened.

"So?" dared Athrun. "There's no one around here."

"Are you so sure? Or maybe you'd like to find out. I bet those boys who attacked me aren't too far away."

She snickered softly at the doubt that had sprung so quickly in Athrun's emerald eyes. When Athrun cast apprehensive eyes over his shoulder as if searching for the mysterious young men, Meer laughed aloud.

Taking a deep breath, Athrun moved closer to Meer. He couldn't take the chance of being seen here, half-naked with this girl. No amount of trying to explain what had happened would save him should someone spot them.

Athrun flinched when he felt the long nails rake downward across his exposed chest towards his stomach. He closed his eyes, refusing to meet hers. His nose picked up the scent of her lingering perfume and he swallowed hard.

When her lips gently brushed against his, Athrun opened his eyes, and drew back. As he took a step back, he snatched the jacket from her hands and hurried to slip his arms into the sleeves. The sound of her tittering rang in his ears and he turned his back to the young woman. Thoughts of Cagalli rushed through his mind as he inched away from Meer.

Meer made a move to pursue him but Athrun was ready and pushed her away from him. The girl let out a startled cry as she fell to the ground once more and Athrun darted backward, breathing heavily as he struggled with what to do next.

_Drunk or not… I can't stay here with her!_

Athrun started to turn when he heard a low, bellow come from his left. His face paled as he saw the silhouette of Uzumi come into focus.

Instantly the Orb representative was at Meer's side, helping her to sit up. Long strands of pink curls had fallen free of their pins, her face had smudges of dirt and her eyes glowed with anger. She pointed her long slender finger over Uzumi's shoulder and began to shout.

"YOU!" she shouted. "You tried to assault me!" she screamed at Athrun, who stood stunned.

Uzumi twisted his head around to see Athrun standing behind him. The boy's face was as white as a ghost and he could see tears shimmering in the young man's eyes. He wasn't sure what that meant but when he saw the tearful expression on the young girl's face, he figured he cold piece together all that had happened.

"He grabbed me!" accused Meer as Uzumi helped her to stand.

"What happened, Miss?" Uzumi asked while he wiped the smudges of dirt from her face with his handkerchief.

Meerwas livid, her words fueled by the drink. "He tried to force himself onto me…ask him…just ask him…look at him, he's only upset because he got caught! Look what he did to my clothes!"

Uzumi turned and though Athrun tried to remove the sudden shock of seeing Cagalli's father from his face, he hadn't been quick enough. Seeing the fear in the boy's eyes, Uzumi became angry himself. He had been right all along. Athrun was just like his father!

"Athrun _ZALA_!"

"I didn't do anything…honest, Sir," Athrun said in defense of himself.

"Yes he did, look at this." Meer motioned for Uzumi to look at her dress. "He tried to rip my dress away!"

"That's a lie!"

"I tried to fight back – look at his cheek!"

Athrun was beginning to get worried for Uzumi had started to advance on him. This looked bad. The whole scenario was a nightmare come to life.

"Athrun," growled Uzumi between clinched teeth.

Athrun's eyes were wide with dread; she was actually making him out to look like a liar... and a rapist! He gulped, his eyes shimmered with unshed, frightened tears that refused to fall and he began inching back from his girlfriend's father. Uzumi's arm swung out as fast as lightning and before Athrun could escape, Uzumi grabbed him.

Athrun began struggling, trying to pull his arm free from the older man's fingers.

"I didn't do anything…honest …honest! You have to believe me!"

"Athrun be still," snapped Uzumi. "Would you care to explain how this young lady ended up in the state she is in now?" he asked as Athrun finally gave up fighting and stood rigid before the elder.

Athrun's chin was quivering; he glanced at Meer who wore a smug expression on her face.

"Athrun, I asked you a question."

Uzumi gave Athrun a slight shake to draw his attention and then surprised the boy by tightening his grasp.

"She… she did it herself…" He struggled to get the words out as fast as he could. "I saw three boys bothering her so I tried to help her and she… she…"

Uzumi's eyes turned black with anger and he glared at the trembling boy.

"Why Athrun? What has she ever done to you? What about Cagalli?"

"But…I didn't…"

"I think you should inform the principal!" suggested Meer as she stood next to Uzumi and glared at Athrun. If she couldn't have Athrun to herself then nobody could.

Uzumi glanced at Meer and then back at the boy whose arm he still held tightly. "I think that is a very, very good idea."

**TBC**

Hmmm… Athrun's going to be in trouble with… well… everyone. In the next chapter, Cagalli finds out all about Athrun's evening encounter. I know that Meer is a little OOC but to be honest, I think anyone would be OOC if they were drunk right? That's my excuse lol. We know that Meer liked Athrun so really… that emotion was just a little exaggerated by her drinking.

As for Athrun – would you not be scared if you were in his situation? What if his dad finds out? What if he's expelled? Hmmm… the ideas are flowing… Oh! I just saw Episode 13-14 of GSD - I just HAD to beat up Yuna is this chapter - I can't believe what he tried to pull! GAHHHH!

Anywayz, please let me know what you think ok?

Thanks for reading!

Krilyn


	11. Backed into a Corner

Hi everyone!

First, I want to apologize for updating so late. School has just started up and things have been busy. Aside from that, I received a nasty review that honestly made me want to leave this website but I couldn't leave the story unfinished because it wouldn't be fair to those of you who are reading and enjoying it. To you I am truly sorry for taking as long as I did.

One thing I would like to mention though. I love receiving feedback because I always felt it would help me become a better writer. I can take criticism and welcome it. What I don't understand are people who openly attack the author personally by hurling vulgar insults that hold no substance or constructive feedback. Not only is it upsetting but it demonstrates the immaturity level that some readers seem to possess.

If you don't like my story, by all means tell me why so I can improve. Calling me nasty names, however, accomplishes nothing.

Thanks to all of you who were mature and kind enough to leave construct reviews. I loved hearing from you and I hope you can forgive me for taking so long to update.

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny**_

_**Warnings: **Depressing scenes, very angry Cagalli and some Meer-bashing._

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #10: Backed into a Corner**

A strange feeling washed over Athrun as he sat there in the principal's office alongside Cagalli's father and a teary-eyed Meer. It wasn't fear, it wasn't anger nor was it confusion. It was a mix of all of them. Swirled together into something that he couldn't put into words that sank to the pit of his stomach as he sat across from Ms. Badgiruel.

He could see her lips moving, the scowl that played across her features as her dark eyes bored into him yet her words didn't reach him. His mind was racing in dizzying circles, replaying the events that had transpired and thinking up possible scenarios that could result once his father learned that he was going to be expelled. He would be angry… no, he would be infuriated. He had seen his father when the world seemed to transpire against him and had made a point of avoiding moments like that at all costs.

Suddenly he understood what people meant when they said they wished that the ground would just open up and swallow them whole. That was how he felt at that moment. He desperately wished he could just disappear and escape the nightmare that had befallen him.

Daring a quick glance to his left, he saw Uzumi listening as Ms. Badgiruel continued her rant, explaining how Athrun was going to be 'dealt with' for his 'intolerable behavior.' What surprised him was that he seemed genuinely sad. Searching the old man's face, Athrun found no signs of satisfaction in his expression.

His thoughts drifted to Cagalli – wherever she was. What would she make of all this? His heart ached at the thought that she could possibly believe what had happened. She knew him better than that… didn't she? Dropping his gaze, he didn't know what hurt more. The inevitable confrontation that he would have with his father or leaving Cagalli with the false impressions that were nothing but sickening lies.

"Do you understand me?" Ms. Badgiruel demanded, forcing Athrun to drag his gaze back to the woman glaring at him from the other side of the desk. "Your father shall be informed and as of now, I am withdrawing your right to attend this school. We do not tolerate such primitive and barbaric behavior and no one, not even _you_ will be an exception to that.

Athrun winced as she spat the word _you_ at him as though he were something vile to be loathed and dirty. He really should have been defending himself. He knew he should have been kicking and screaming, pleading his case but the sad truth was that it would have made little difference. The principal had been looking for a reason to expel him and now that she had enough ammunition to do so, she would not let the opportunity slip away.

Still, as futile as he knew it would be, Athrun spoke up. "I didn't do it," He muttered lowly though his words were articulate and clear. "I didn't try to hurt Meer."

Everyone in the office grimaced when Meer released a distressed wail and began to sob harder into a Kleenex that she had picked up upon arrival.

Ms. Badgiruel seemed unmoved. "Well it is pretty clear that Meer is the victim of this and you were found pushing her to the ground with her dress torn. How do you explain that?"

"I was pushing her away," Athrun replied levelly. That's when he realized something. His eyes widened as it suddenly dawned on him. "The victim was me." It sounded strange to his ears but it was the truth. It was he who had been assaulted.

"I'm not interested in your excuses, Athrun," Ms. Badgiruel quickly dismissed his comments as though they were the incoherent ramblings of a child and rose to her feet. "I mean to make an example of you so this type of thing never happens again."

"I figured you would," Athrun muttered under his breath. The words slipped out and he jerked when he realized that what he had been thinking had somehow escaped his lips.

"What was that?" Ms. Badgiruel leaned over her desk so that her face was just inches from the young Coordinator's own. "Would you care to repeat that, Athrun _Zala?_"

"I said I figured you would," Athrun reiterated. He was already well over his head in trouble so what did it matter if he said what he truly felt? Would it really matter? Make a difference? He seriously doubted it. "You've been looking for a reason to get rid of me ever since I arrived."

Ms. Badgiruel's eyes bulged as she straightened. "You will be escorted to your room where you will pack your things this instant. I shall inform your father of your expulsion and demand that you be picked up first thing tomorrow morning."

Athrun gulped, his nerve endings going numb. His room? He didn't have a room. Oh god… he felt the color drain from his face as he saw his fate secured before his very eyes.

"Well now," Ms. Badgiruel grumped. "What residence are you in?"

Athrun didn't move nor did he speak.

"I_ asked_ you a question."

Still, Athrun didn't budge.

"You will answer me, _now_," The principal sneered and Athrun's shoulders slumped in defeat. He felt all eyes on him now as if curious to hear his answer.

"Well," He swallowed in an attempt to clear his parched throat. "You see, I never really had a residence… there was some confusion and…"

"Where have you been sleeping?" Ms. Badgiruel asked again, obviously disinterested in Athrun's struggle to explain himself.

Athrun bit his bottom lip, desperately wishing that the roof would fall down on him. If he couldn't sink into the floor than maybe lightning could hit the building and force the ceiling down upon them.

"Where!"

"Cagalli's room." His voice was just barely above a whisper. In front of the principal and, perhaps worse, Cagalli's father, he had just admitted to spending three months in the girl's residence. Something that was strictly forbidden.

Ms. Badgiruel's eyes widened in disbelieve while Uzumi simply stared at him, dumbfounded. For a moment that, for Athrun, seemed to last for an eternity, there was complete and utter silence. Nobody knew what to say nor did they know what to do.

"You… you mean to tell me that you have spent the entire semester in the girl's residence?" Ms. Badgiruel finally exploded. Slamming both fists onto her desk, the principal whirled around the desk and snagged Athrun's arm. She gracelessly hulled him up to his feet and half-escorted, half-dragged the Coordinator out of her office by his arm. "Of all the stupid, irresponsible, unforgivable, insolent things I have ever heard of! Only you! Only you could think to do something so… so negligent!"

"I didn't have anywhere else to go!" Athrun shot back, his own temper flaring at the series of insults that were being flung in his direction. "Nobody would help me! What was I supposed to do!"

"Come with me," Ms. Badgiruel growled, her grip around the boy's arm tightening painfully. "We're gathering your things right now from that poor girl's room. You will spend the night in the nurse's room and tomorrow you are out of here!"

As Athrun was hulled out of the office, he threw a pleading look over to Uzumi, begging for some sort of understanding. The man seemed a little put off by the display but he didn't make anymore to leap to his defense. Athrun groaned inwardly. Why should he expect him to? From his point of view, the whole thing probably looked terrible. He'd been seen pushing Meer and now the word of his sharing a room with Cagalli surely must have demonized him in Uzumi's mind.

Athrun shook his head angrily. Damn them! Damn them all!

When the principal stepped out into the main hall, dragging Athrun along behind her, he was disappointed, but not entirely surprised to see the mass of students that had gathered to see what had happened. Whispers and quiet gossip floated in the heavy atmosphere as Ms. Badgiruel pushed her way through the crowds. Athrun felt them closing in around him and again wished that the ground would come up and swallow him.

Uzumi and Meer followed silently in the rear and as the crowd chased after Athrun, Meer took the opportunity to slip away back towards the residences. It had been a long and straining night. The Orb leader gazed hard at the slender figure as the blue-haired boy gradually disappeared from sight. His heart pounded painfully against his chest causing a slight frown to draw across his face. He had been so sure he had done the right thing yet if that was so, then why did he feel so miserable?

Was it the look that Athrun had given him before he'd been escorted away? He had seen it before many times in dealing with Cagalli. The look that begged for consideration and understanding when the world had dealt a cruel blow. The boy's eyes had been clear and kind and somehow he regretted having found Athrun in the park. Or perhaps it was the fact that Cagalli loved the boy so much? Perhaps it was the knowledge that this would undoubtedly hurt her that affected him.

"I wouldn't have figured Zala to the type."

Uzumi caught part of a conversation between two students as they brushed past him and frowned.

"Especially Meer," The other agreed. "I heard he wouldn't go anywhere near her. Strange how things work out."

"Do you think he'll be expelled?"

"Hell yeah!"

"No…"

Uzumi heard a familiar voice whisper the one-syllable word that hung in the tense air. Turning around, he grimaced when he saw Cagalli standing frozen in complete disbelief. Still dressed in her evening-wear, her auburn eyes were wide and her skin had gone pale. Her mouth hung open a little as she shook her head almost mechanically back and forth in the negative.

"Cagalli," Uzumi hurried towards his daughter and quickly grasped her tightly be the shoulders. "Cagalli, I'm sorry. Really, I am very sorry."

"Expelled?" Cagalli almost choked. "What is Athrun getting expelled for? Why!"

"When Athrun left the assembly I followed, wanting to apologize to him. I found him in the park with Meer and," He swallowed. "Her clothes were badly torn and I saw Athrun push her to the ground."

"Wha…" Cagalli's jaw dropped, not wanted to believe it. "That's not possible. Athrun wouldn't do that!"

"I wish I could believe you, Cagalli, but Meer says that he tried to force himself onto her."

"She's lying!" Cagalli declared, tears gathering in her eyes. She tightened her fists in her father's suits as she continued to shake her head violently. "You can't let this happen! Athrun is afraid of Meer! There has to be a reason –"

"You lied to me."

Cagalli looked up, eyes wide with shock as her father's gentle expression turned into a frown. "You've been sharing a room with that boy, haven't you?"

"Father, it's not what you think." Cagalli started but Uzumi just shook his head, silencing her.

"According to you, nothing is as it seems when it comes to you two," Uzumi sighed. This conversation was not meant to take place here and now. He could see the pain in his daughter's tear-stained eyes and forced himself to withhold any sort of anger he was feeling. "It's getting late. I suggest you get some rest."

Cagalli straightened, determination burned into her features as her eyes hardened with rage. "No," She said abruptly. "I'm going to stop this. I'm not going to let Athrun be punished for something he didn't do."

She didn't give her father a chance to speak. Kicking off her heels, she took off towards the nearest exit and sprinted towards the residence. Her arms pumped wildly at her sides as she flew across campus towards the residences. She didn't understand what was going on but she had to find Meer. She had to make Meer confess that Athrun was innocent… he was after all… wasn't he?

No! She refused to let doubt cloud her judgment. She knew him and knew him well. Athrun would never hurt anyone unless pushed and even then it took a lot to get him angry.

It didn't take Cagalli long to reach the residences and as she ran across the courtyard her eyes caught sight of a feminine figure just reaching the gate that lead to the main doors.

The glint of pink in the silver moonlight was all Cagalli needed. Unable to contain herself, she lashed out at the other girl, knowing full well who it was.

There was a gut-wrenching scream as the two girls fell to the ground, wrestling and scratching at one another.

"Liar!" Cagalli shrieked as she fought to maintain the upper-hand. "You liar!"

"Get off of me!" Meer screamed. "Somebody help me!"

WMWMWMWMWMW

In her room, Lacus, as usual, was restless, tossing and turning as she strained to get the sleep that didn't seem to come. With a sigh, Lacus sat up when she heard a thump outside and frowned. It was late and it was common courtesy not to make noise in the residences at this hour. Shaking her head, Lacus yawned as she peered out her bedroom window.

It was Cagalli.

"Cagalli?" She questioned as she watched the blonde run across the yard. What was she doing and more importantly… why was she alone! She knew that Athrun and Cagalli had gone to an assembly of some sort that evening but why wouldn't Athrun escort her back?

What happened next surprised her.

There was a gut-wrenching scream and Lacus felt her entire being shatter as the sound echoed off the walls. Cagalli had just attacked Meer!

Forgetting she was still in her flannel pajamas, she rushed down the stairs and threw the front door open, revealing light to the darkness of the night. Sweat poured from her face as she looked around franticly. "Cagalli? Cagalli!"

Another scream. This time from her left.

Lacus ran over and gasped when her eyes took in both Cagalli and Meer wrestling on the ground, each one trying to get the upper hand. The two off them were now covered in dirt and grass as the rolled around violently clawing at one another.

"Cagalli, no!" She cried and reaching down, pulled her friend off her look-alike. Her eyes widened in concern when she noticed the tear stains that ran down each of Cagalli's rosy cheeks as she struggled to break free.

"Meer you can't do this!" Cagalli screeched and, pointing an enraged finger at her, shook her head. "Athrun is going to be expelled and he didn't do anything wrong! You have to tell the truth!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Meer sneered as she slowly picked herself up from the ground. "Your stupid boyfriend attacked me. Why should I care what happens to him? He deserves everything he gets!"

Cagalli struggled, fighting against the hands that held her back. Kicking and twisting, she thrashed about, trying to break free. She wanted to make Meer pay and confess and when she saw a small smile split the other girl's lips, it only made Cagalli even angrier.

"You take that back!" She sneered. "Take that back right now!"

"Cagalli stop it!" Lacus scolded as she struggled to hang onto her friend, which was proving to be a challenge. "What is going on?"

"You're the only one that can help Athrun!" Cagalli cried. "Meer, please!"

"Why should I?" Meer demanded before throwing a teasing hand up in the air and waving it in Cagalli's face. "He never paid any attention to me. I tried to get him to notice me but he wouldn't. So now, he is getting exactly what he deserves!"

"Let me go!" Cagalli snarled as her urgency to smash Meer's face in suddenly doubled. Grinding her teeth in frustration, Cagalli flailed desperately in Lacus' grip. Now she understood. This was her revenge. This was Meer getting even with Athrun for ignoring her and there was nothing she could do about it. The other girl held all the cards. "I will beat the truth out of you if I have to!"

"Cagalli!" Lacus barked and dodged as one of her friend's fists came up and nearly caught her in the chin. This was so unlike Cagalli and it frightened her. "Come on, let's go."

Baffled and confused, Lacus didn't wait for an answer and speedily guided Cagalli into the dorm, slamming the door behind her. Rushing, she helped Cagalli to her room, which was two levels above her own and pushed the door open.

She wasn't prepared for Cagalli's reaction. The girl raised her eyes to look at her room and her face seemed to go white as she took in the sight. Athrun's belongings were gone. Everything. The area on the floor where he had always slept was empty. Sobbing and crying, she wouldn't even look at Lacus as the other girl helped her onto the bed.

"Cagalli, what is going on?" She asked, desperately. "What's happening? What has happened to Athrun?"

Shaking her head, Cagalli tensed, drawing deeper into herself. "They are going to expel him!" She blurted out. "I don't know everything but… but Meer somehow made it look like he attacked her and now, they're going to throw him out of school!"

Lacus bit her lower lip, unsure what to say. She hadn't been prepared for this. "Cagalli, please calm down," Lacus tried. "It will be ok. Have you spoken to Athrun?"

Cagalli shook her head. "I don't know where he is."

"We'll find him tomorrow," Lacus told her firmly. "We'll get his side of the story and find a way to get this worked out. Maybe there was a witness who saw them and can prove that Athrun was innocent?"

Cagalli didn't bother responded. Her eyes moved from Lacus and fell onto the small robotic dog that Athrun had given her. Kaoru. There had to be a way… there just had to be.

**TBC**

_Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing it. Should I end it with a happy ending or a sad one? I'm struggling with this one. I could end it in the next chapter but I don't think anyone would really like what I have in mind if I did that. Any suggestions? I am having trouble with this story. _

_Thanks so much and again, I am sorry for the delay in updating._

_Until next time,_

_Krilyn_


	12. Heartbreaking Goodbye

Hi!

First, I want to thank everyone for reviewing. It means a lot to me. I also want to apologize for not updating. A lot has been happening in my life. I lost a good friend and school hasn't been very forgiving either.

I hope you like this chapter and I have good news! I've decided on an ending! Hurray! That's always the hardest part.

Well, thanks again and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or Gundam Seed Destiny**

**Gundam Seed: Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #12: Heartbreaking Goodbye**

Cagalli awoke earlier the next morning. To say she had slept at all was a bit of an exaggeration for the night had been anything but kind. Athrun's face seemed to have ingrained itself into her mind and the more she thought about him, the more the ache in her heart seemed to intensify. When she thought about everything that had happened, it left her with a horribly bitter taste in her mouth. Nobody had really been overly kind to the new boy from the PLANTS. Sure, Yzak, Dearka, Kira, Lacus and her other friends had gradually warmed up to him but the system had condemned him to his fate long before the events that had led to his current situation had unfolded.

She didn't know what she could do and she doubted that she had the power to influence the principals' decision. What Cagalli did know, however, was that she could not let him go. Not like this. She hadn't seen Athrun since he had left the Assembly and she could only imagine what he was going through.

He was probably just as confused as she was. Perhaps even more so and… what bothered Cagalli the most was that he was alone. She had to let him know that she believed in him, that what had happened had not been his fault and that nothing could even stop her from feeling the way she did about him.

_"Strange,"_ Cagalli thought to herself as she shuffled along the empty hallway towards the registrar's office. _"I knew I cared about him but I never realized just how much he meant to me."_ It was true, she decided, that she hadn't really understood just how much of her heart she had surrendered to him until he'd been taken away from her.

Her father expected her to join him for breakfast but she knew that if she didn't find Athrun now, she may never see him again. Her father certainly wouldn't approve of her seeing him and she wanted, no, _needed_ to say goodbye.

She had left Lacus' room early that day, hoping to find Athrun before he was sent away. The clouds hung low in the sky, casting a lonely shadow down upon the world below and somehow it almost seemed appropriate. The gentle rain had caused her hair to frizz and dampened her jacket and by the time she had reached the lecture hall, she was completely soaked. In truth, she wasn't sure where Athrun had spent the night and as she moved towards the registrar's office, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu sweep over her. She stopped, momentarily stunned as the past and present seemed to blend together into a mesh of shattered memories.

This was the place.

It was here that she had met him for the very first time. The day she had so rudely called him a hot shot and he had eloquently returned her insult with a clever rebuttal of his own. A saddened smile spread across her lips as she pushed open the door and stepped inside, hoping to see him there but not entirely surprised when she found her standing across from the secretary's desk. The old lady's hardened stare burning a hole through her. Nobody else was in the room.

"Can I help you?"

For a moment, Cagalli forgot why she was there. She blinked a couple times, her mind racing in dizzying circles as she tried to figure out where Athrun could be. Surely he was still on campus. Surely he hadn't left yet. He couldn't have!

"Can I help _you_?"

This time the secretary's voice was firm, immediately drawing Cagalli to attention. Her head flew up and her lips began as she fought to form the words. "Umm, I am looking for someone. Could you please tell me where I can find Athrun Zala?"

Cagalli saw the secretary openly wince when his name left her lips and she frowned. Inhaling deeply, Cagalli continued, unwilling to give the secretary the chance to dismiss her. "There has been a misunderstanding and I must see him. Do you know where he is?"

"The boy that assaulted that girl last night?"

At the secretary's choice of words, Cagalli felt her patience starting to wane. Glancing down at the name plate on the desk in front of her, she took note of the name that was inscribed on it. "No, _Ms. Tadorika_," Cagalli growled curtly. "He didn't _assault_ anybody. In any case, I need to speak with him."

Unmoved, Ms. Tadorika shrugged. "Ms. Badgiruel is taking care of him."

"Where?"

"I fail to see how this involved you, my dear," The lady replied and shook her head. "That young man has managed to get himself into quit a bit of trouble and I think it is best if you just leave him be."

"Can't you just tell me?" Cagalli demanded. "Is it that big of a secret? I thought he would be here – that's why I came."

"He was here," Ms. Tadorika admitted and spun around in her chair to attend to some paperwork. "He spent the night in the nurse's office and this morning Ms. Badgiruel escorted him here to terminate his enrollment."

"How long ago was that?" Cagalli felt a sinking feeling in the bit of her stomach as she listened to the secretary's tale. Perhaps she was too late. Perhaps Athrun was already gone. If that was the case, then there was no way that she would be able to get a hold of him. He could very well have left believing that she believed Meer… just as her father had.

"About fifteen minutes ago," Ms. Tadorika replied. "Arrangements were made late last night for Chancellor Zala to meet his son at the airport early this morning to take him back to the PLANTS."

"The airport?"

Ms. Tadorika nodded. "Poor boy, he looked wrecked when I saw him. Didn't have the look of the assailant described to me by Ms. Badgiruel but I suppose it's the ones with the innocent faces that you have to be wary of."

Cagalli paid her last comment little mind. "There's a bus that leaves the school weekly to the airport. What time is it scheduled to leave?"

"The bus that travels between here and the airport will be leaving any minute now. I'd imagine that your friend is more than likely on it."

"No…" Cagalli's eyes widened and her faced grew white. She was too late. The bus terminal was on the other side of the campus and there was no way that she would make it in time. Staggering as if she'd been struck, she whirled around and dashed through the door back into the hall.

Racing towards the nearest exit, she urged herself to move. She willed her legs to carry her faster, pumping her arms wildly as she ran. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she pushed through the exit door and back into the rain. The storm had picked up since she had left the residences and she could feel the gusts of wind pushing against her, trying to drag her down and slow her desperate flight towards the bus terminal. It was exactly the same. Just like when she had invited him to spend the night in order to escape the rain on his very first day on campus.

_Athrun cringed at the mentioning of rain and although Cagalli noticed this, she didn't press the issue. She could tell he was seriously considering it and, holding out her hand, she grinned. "We got off on the wrong foot so let's start again. My name's Cagalli Yula Athha but you can just call me Cagalli. I'm from Orb, and I hate administration and boiled carrots. I like sports, gummie bears and traveling."_

_Athrun just stared for a moment, trying to make out what she was doing before he took her hand in his and gave it a firm shake. "I'm Athrun and uh… you can just call me Athrun. I also hate administration and early mornings. I like to play basketball, build mechanical pets, sleep and… I actually don't really mind boiled carrots."_

Hearing his voice ringing through her mind drove her to run faster. He had been so sincere. Always thinking about her before himself. He had been her saving grace in many ways – proving to her that not all men were selfish, conceited fools. He hadn't openly poured his heart out to her – that wasn't his way. Rather, his actions alone had demonstrated the affection he felt for her.

"_I know it isn't your dog," He told her, feeling his face grow warm. "But it's the closest thing I ever had to a pet. I made it when I was little. You need it more than me."_

"_Oh Athrun…" Cagalli fumbled over the words. "I…"_

"_Her name is Kaori," He explained. "Promise me you'll take care of her."_

It wasn't just his concern and seemingly unconditional friendship that had drawn her to him. He respected her. He respected her as a person, as a friend and as a young woman. He had never pushed her into anything and in many ways had allowed her to choose the pace of their relationship. Cagalli had found a certain degree of comfort in knowing that she was in control whilst in his company and took relief in knowing she didn't need to worry about being on her guard while they were alone.

_Cagalli winked and reaching for Athrun's hand, she yanked him towards her. Athrun yelped at being pulled so hard as Cagalli pinned him against the tree, putting her arms at each side of his head. "Because you never make the first move…and you never catch my signals…do you even know why I wanted to come to the lake?" She asked huskily, leaning her head down towards him._

_Stunned, Athrun managed to slightly shake his head._

_Cagalli smiled and began nibbling at Athrun's earlobe, knowing how it drove him wild. "To make out..." She whispered in his ear, voice filled with lust. She exhaled softly into Athrun's ear, and the young man shuddered, nearly melting at the teasing touch. "What do you say?"_

Tears began to leek from the corners of her eyes as she thought back to the moments she had shared with him. It had only been four months but in her mind, it was as though she had known him forever. Now, as she struggled against Mother Nature's cruel storm, she felt her own resolve harden as her heart clinched painfully in her chest.

She would not let him slip away from her. She refused to accept that they would be parted without so much as a goodbye.

WMWMWMWMWMWMWMMWMWM

Athrun sat the seat closest to the window, his suitcase thrown carelessly beside him as he leaned wearily against the back of his chair. Peering out into the storm, he took in what he knew would be his last glimpse of the Lunar Preparatory School. The grim dark clouds that hung over the institution somehow seemed appropriate when he considered his experiences there.

Everything had been so awkward and he had almost always found himself tripping over himself or someone else. He let out a heavy yawn and licked his dry lips. He had spent the night in the nurse's office under supervision and, much to his disgust, had felt like a convict. He hadn't slept well and although he had become somewhat accustomed to sleep deprivation, the prospects of what awaited him at the airport had kept him at edge all night. Ms. Badgiruel had been thorough in implementing his sentence. Expulsion, a criminal record and what was worse – she had called his father out of a meeting to arrange his return to the PLANTS. For Athrun, that was as good as putting a rope around his neck and stringing him up a tree. His father was a busy man, a busy and, at times irrational man.

He would not appreciate having to take time out of his schedule to come and pick Athrun up from school and escort him back home. Of course Athrun had traveled many a times on his own but the principal had insisted that he be supervised at all times. She had also made arrangements to have an inquiry on him started.

"Cagalli…" He closed his eyes as her name rolled off his tongue and exhaled softly. If anything, he regretted not having the opportunity to explain himself to her. To explain to her the truth about what had happened. She surely must have heard by now – either from her father or Meer herself. Or, perhaps even worse – she had been informed through some sort of strange rumor.

Athrun felt a pain localize in his chest as his mind drifted off into the world of what ifs. The legacy of Athrun Zala at the school would be one of a distant outcast who lashed out against a defenseless girl one lonely evening. He tried to convince himself that he didn't care what they thought, or what they said or what they believed but he knew that wasn't true. He was only fooling himself.

He did care.

He cared about what Cagalli thought of him and it almost burned him to think that she could be persuaded to believe the ridiculous lies that Meer had masked as the truth.

Just thinking about it made him angry and if it hadn't been for the fact that the bus driver had been given strict directions to make sure he stayed on the bus, he would have made a run for it. He would have stormed the school searching for Cagalli to tell her the truth. Yet, what he wanted to do and what he could do without getting himself into even more trouble were two very different things.

He felt his body thrust slightly forward when the bus driver started the engine, snapping him out of the daze he had fallen into. He heard the engine's strained roar against the sound of the thundering rains and heavy winds outside of the vehicle but refused to open his eyes. He was so tired of it all - All the nonsense, all the strife and all the conflict.

The bus began to move forward, slowly at first but gradually it began to pick up speed as it started towards the airport. The squeal of rubber against pavement caused him to wince slightly as he settled down back into his seat, wishing that his bleeding heart would just stop beating and put him out of his misery.

"ATHRUN!"

Athrun's head shot up as he heard a muffled voice that was almost lost as it carried in the wind. It sounded like Cagalli and when he turned towards the window, he heard his voice called a second time. Frustrated, he narrowed his eyes, searching and when he finally looked down he was shocked by what he saw.

Alongside the bus was Cagalli who was gasping and clearly out of breath as she struggled to keep pace. The rain had matted her blonde hair and it now stuck to her face while the water droplets from the sky mixed with tears from her puffy, auburn eyes. She was waving her hands frantically at him, motioning for him to wind down his window. He saw her mouth moving but all he could make out was her shouting his name over and over again.

Scrambling, Athrun hissed sharply as his sudden motion to wind down his window caused him to jam his pinky but he ignored the throbbing pain, forcing the window down. A gust of wind immediately blasted him while the rain pelted down almost violently upon his face. He straightened to poke his head out the window and gasped as the wind took his breath away.

"C… Cagalli!"

"I… I know you didn't do it!" She cried as she ran. The bus was picking up speed and she was rapidly loosing ground. Still, somehow she had made it. "I know it isn't true!"

"Cagalli, I…" Athrun didn't know what to say. The gap between them was growing and he felt all the words he wanted to say catch in his throat. He needed more time! The seconds they had left weren't going to be enough. How could they be enough?! He didn't want to leave her! It wasn't fair!

"Athrun!" Cagalli reached into her coat pocket and held out a piece of paper for him. Willing her numb legs to move, she tried desperately to reach him. "Athrun! Please, write me!"

Athrun didn't need to be told twice. Straining, he stuck his hand out the window and reached for the paper that she was holding out to him. The elements and the bus driver both seemed to be working against them as he desperately tried to grab the paper that flapped wildly in Cagalli's grasp. The bus wasn't going to slow down and he could see that Cagalli was just moments from collapsing from exhaustion.

"Athrun!" She shouted as he faltered in his attempt to snatch the paper. "Athrun, please!"

"I'm trying!" He gasped as he felt the edge of the window grinding into his stomach as he strived to reach her. To reach that paper that promised hope for their relationship. She believed in him! Despite all his fears, all the lies and deception the seemed to follow him wherever he went, she still believed in him! "I'm trying!"

"Athrun!"

Cagalli leapt forward, using the last of her strength to throw the crumpled piece of paper up to him before she collapsed to the pavement. She bit back a sharp cry as her knees scrapped against the pavement and grunted as her momentum caused her to roll forward several feet before she was able to stop herself.

Athrun felt the paper between his fingers and scrambled to catch it. He felt its rough edge brush against the tips of his fingers and grit his teeth as he grappled desperately for it. Then, however, the wind reached out and swept the paper out of his grasp and left him grasping at nothing but air.

His heart stopped and his face drained of all its color as he saw the paper blow away in the wind and with it, his heart shattered. For a moment that seemed like an eternity he just stared, unwilling to believe what had just happened before the cruel reality hit him like a physical blow. His arm fell limp as his eyes met those of Cagalli for one last time.

They both knew.

They both knew that this was their goodbye.

As Cagalli's form by the side of the road became smaller and distant, Athrun felt his resolve shatter. Dropping his head down against the side of his chair, he let the tears fall. His body shook violently, wracked with anguished sobs that he managed to reduce to uneven hiccups and whimpers.

He knew it was wrong to cry. Boys his age shouldn't cry and if his father had seen him he would have been ashamed. Yet, the pain wouldn't go away and he couldn't keep it in anymore. He had lost, in his mind, too much to simply keep his feelings buried.

He had lost Cagalli.

**TBC**

_Please don't flame me! This isn't the end I promise! I have at least 4-5 more chapters to write! This is more of a transition chapter. I hope you liked it. I know, not much happened but it will get exciting in the next one – I promise._

_Again, I apologize for getting this up so late. I promise I will finish this story but it will take time since school is really dragging me down. Again, thanks so much for reading._

_Oh! I am sorry if there are spelling/grammar errors. It is past midnight and I'm a little tired to I really didn't re-read it too well. I was just so excited to post it so please forgive me. The next couple chapters, Athrun's going to finally show everyone that he won't just roll over and die… again, thanks for reading._

_Please don't be discouraged by this chapter ok?_

_Take care,_

_Krilyn_


	13. Free Fall

Hi everyone!

First, I want to apologize for the late update. I've had some trouble keeping up with school and was unable to do much writing. This is a long chapter though so I hope that makes up for it….

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I do take all your advice into consideration and it is encouraging that you all are enjoying my story.

I typed this all up at once so I am sorry if there are spelling mistakes. If you find them, please let me know so I can fix them ok? I hate seeing them in writing so I try my best to avoid them in my own but well… it's hard lol.

Well I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review and let me know ok?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed/ Destiny or any other references to the two series. **

**Warnings: Athrun suffers a bit physically in this chapter. **

**Affronted Affections **

****

**Chapter #13: Free Fall **

For a moment, Cagalli was stunned. On her knees by the side of the road, there was very little running through her mind. She felt numb. The bus that had taken Athrun away was well out of eyeshot yet her auburn eyes remained fixed it its direction. It was as though she was willing it to come back.

"Athrun," Angrily she rose to her feet, clinching her fists as she evaluated the situation. She knew her father would be looking for her that morning. She knew him well and understood that he would expect her to react to Athrun's sudden and forced departure. If she left the campus, there was no question that he would come after her and then, she would be in even more trouble than she already was. After everything that had happened she knew he would never approve of her recklessly pursuing him. Although, when she thought about it, did it really matter? It wasn't her father's heart that was breaking nor was it her father who felt as if someone had just burned a hole into the very essence of his being.

Athrun had been berated ever since he had arrived. He had been branded his father's son and had suffered because of it. Nobody had seen him for who he was. Not really. When they looked on him, they saw his father – a man who they held in great distain.

It was then that she realized what she had to do. She would not let the intolerance and ignorance of the people around her cost her the powerful bond she had established with the emerald-eyed Coordinator from the PLANTS.

She pulled her cell-phone and dialed the number for a taxi. Her fingers moved frantically as she automatically entered a request for pick up and drop off at the airport. The rain was starting to die down now and had reduced itself to a light drizzle, leaving her hair to frizz. Cagalli was waiting with a heavy heart for a taxi to come when she heard a soft cry from behind her. Turning around, she couldn't even bring herself to so much as smile as she saw Kira and Lacus hurrying towards her.

"Kira, Lacus?"

"Hi Cagalli," Kira slowed in his approach as the two of them grew near. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he whispered softly. "I'm really sorry about Athrun. I just found out about it. I can't believe that he would…do something like that to Meer. It seems so unlike him."

His words felt like a physical assault and she withdrew from him as if she had been burned. "He didn't do it!" She fired back defensively. "Athrun didn't do anything wrong! Do you honestly think he would do something like that?!"

"Well, no," Kira fumbled over his words, realizing he had made a horrible mistake. "Of course not. It's just… well… I heard… he's been suspended right?"

"Expelled," Cagalli corrected bitterly. "He's been expelled."

She heard Lacus gasp in disbelief and didn't need to look at her to know that she was shocked by the swift and harsh sentence. It all seemed to be happening so fast. "Can they do that? I mean, it is just his word against Meer's?"

"The principal has been building a case against Athrun ever since he arrived," Cagalli sighed, recalling the difficulties that he had endured. "She saw an opportunity and took it. Athrun… he's already left."

"Back to the PLANTS?"

Cagalli nodded.

Kira opened his mouth to speak but at the same time a taxi pulled up along side the road. His eyes widened in shock as Cagalli turned away from them and hurried to open the passenger side door. As she moved, he could see the rebellion shimmering in his eyes and he knew before he made a motion to stop her that it would all be in vain. Nevertheless, he had to try.

"Cagalli, wait! What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm going after Athrun," She replied simply. "I need to give him something that he left behind."

"But you can't leave the campus! What about your father?!"

Cagalli hesitated as if considering his words. She bit her lip before shaking her head in the negative. "He wouldn't understand."

"Cagal…"

She shut the door to the taxi before Kira could finish and left her two friends standing by the side of the road as the vehicle took off in the same direction that the bus had disappeared in. Mentally, she regretted being so cold to them but she didn't have time. She had to reach the airport before Athrun's plane lifted off.

Just as the taxi left, another figure could be seen running down the road. Both Lacus and Kira shifted and their eyes widened in astonishment as Uzumi came puffing down the road. At first glance, Kira was almost certain that Cagalli's father was furious. His eyes were wide and his face was flushed. Yet, as he approached, he began to feel that his initial judgment had been rash. Instead, Uzumi looked hurt and upset – like a father desperately trying to do the right thing for his daughter.

"That was Cagalli wasn't it?" The elder demanded as he met up with the two teens. "She's gone after him, hasn't she?"

"Uh, yes Sir," Kira stuttered, taken back by the direct tone in the man's voice. "It was."

Uzumi sighed and wiped out his own cell-phone and rapidly dialed a number. Once he was finished, he closed it and jammed it back in his pocket. "I knew she would try something like this. Going after that boy… I just knew she would."

"She cares about him," Lacus answered carefully. "And she believes in him."

"I know," Uzumi's head dropped as he exhaled heavily. "That's why it makes it all that much harder for me. I know I'm hurting her but…" He looked up at the two teenagers as if searching for some sort of sympathy and understanding. He found none. "I'm just trying to do what is best for her."

"Don't you think Cagalli knows what is best?" Lacus asked. "Don't you have enough faith in your daughter to believe that she would be able to make the right decision?"

Uzumi's expression softened ever so slightly. He wanted to believe that. Deep down he knew that Cagalli was mature and wise enough to choose her own company. Yet, the Zala boy… there was so much baggage that came with associating oneself with the Zalas. He didn't want Cagalli to bare that burden. And then there was the fact the two had been sharing a room…perhaps even a bed! She had lied to him.

"I used to think so," He finally answered Lacus' question. "Now, however, I am not so sure."

"What?"

"Athrun and Cagalli have been sharing a room," Uzumi replied lowly. "I can only imagine what else has been going on. I don't want her to ruin her life. One mistake is all it would take."

"Cagalli wouldn't…"

"It was never Cagalli I was worried about."

"Athrun?" Kira made a face. "He wouldn't either. Neither one of them are stupid."

Uzumi, very much like his daughter, didn't bother to continue the conversation. When a second taxi pulled up beside him, he got in and drove off. Both Kira and Lacus knew where the second taxi was bound – there was only one place it could be going.

Neither Kira nor Lacus really knew what to say as they stood there in the rain, watching Uzumi head off in pursuit of his daughter. Their friend, Cagalli, was hurting, however, and it hurt them to know that there was nothing they could do to help Cagalli and Athrun. After a moment, Lacus raised a hand to Kira's cheek, caressing it gently.

Kira turned his head to look at her questionably. "Yes?"

"I know where Meer's room is, Kira," She explained softly. "Maybe we could…"

Kira only nodded in response. "It's worth a try."

MWMWMMWMWMWMMWMWMW

The bus had left Athrun in front of the Lunar Airport – a lone figure with a suitcase standing forlornly with nothing but his own misery for company. The winds from the east pulled teasingly at his damp hair as the rain soaked his clothing. He hardly noticed. It had been a day very similar to this when he had first arrived. The rain, the confusion, the intense feeling of loneliness – it was hauntingly familiar.

He took a moment to take in his surroundings. There were people hustling and bustling in every direction but to him, they were nothing but faceless shadows. The Lunar Airport had been built overlooking a large canyon through which Minyin River ran. He hadn't really noticed this before and, to be honest, he really didn't care. Oddly enough, while he didn't mind flying and heights, the thought of teetering on the edge of a cliff and looking down at the water meters below made his stomach flip.

Athrun swallowed nervously. His father was coming to pick him up and escort him home._ Oh God…_ suddenly jumping over the edge of the gorge seemed preferable. His father was a busy man. The last thing he would want would be to be called away from his duties to attend to his 'disobedient' son.

Athrun saw a figure out of the corner of his eyes and although he didn't respond, his heart rate suddenly quickened. The figure stepped towards him, one foot in front of the other as he gradually made his way towards him. Athrun turned, unconsciously tightening his grip around the handle of his suitcase. Straightening his shoulders and trying to remove the solemn look on his face, Athrun swallowed to moisten his dry throat.

As Patrick Zala approached him, Athrun's mind frantically tried to formulate something to say. Find a way of explaining everything that had happened. Find a way to minimize the disappointment he knew his father was feeling.

_"Dad, I'm sorry, I'm not an assailant. The principal had it in for me from the beginning…no that is no good. Dad, I didn't attack that girl. No! That sounds even worse! Dad I just want to forget everything that has happened! But I can't! Cagalli, she means so much to me! Why did this have to happen? It's not fair! I never asked for any of this to happen! I tried my best, I swear! What did I do to deserve this!? Please tell me! Somebody! I…" _

"Father, I'm sorry."

His voice was just barely above a whisper and it took everything he had to maintain his composure. To not break down in front of the man he called his father. To keep what was left of his dignity.

Yet, when his green eyes finally met those of his father, Athrun could see in his eyes the echoes of the same pain that he felt in his own heart. It made his own eyes sting afresh. For once, perhaps the only time in his life, Athrun didn't try to hide his feelings from his father.

"Father, I didn't…" Athrun licked his lips shamefully.

Patrick moved forward and embraced his son. He did not release him at once, but held him a little longer than a simple greeting required. Athrun hesitated, not knowing what to do. For a second, he just stood there in complete bewilderment before he finally relaxed, wrapping his arms around his father's waist and holding on tightly. Somehow, Patrick understood. He knew that his son needed to be held.

The elder could feel the shock in his son's body. He knew of Athrun's utmost fear – of being seen as a disappointment to his family and he could sense Athrun's anticipation as he waited to be scolded.

"It's okay, Athrun," Patrick whispered quietly in his son's ear. "It was a mistake to send you here. I am sorry."

Athrun nodded wordlessly against Patrick's shoulder. "I tried so hard, father. Things just kept happening. I am sorry I let you down."

After a moment, Patrick pulled back and held Athrun at arms length, studying him. The shock and ache were still clear in the boy's green eyes.

"We will fight any accusations the school tries to file against you and we will win," Patrick promised firmly. "I will not let them drag my son's name through the mud without a fight. I heard that fool from Orb is a witness to your encounter with this girl in the park? It doesn't surprise me that he would speak falsehoods against you."

Athrun shook his head, momentarily at a loss. He could not hear that of which his father spoke. Uzumi wasn't a fool. As confused as Athrun was, he honestly believed that Uzumi was a kind man who cared deeply for his daughter. He had acted as any concerned parent would have yet Athrun still wished that he could have made Uzumi understand.

Patrick frowned slightly and reached out his hand, lightly touching the side of Athrun' face.

"Don't worry, Athrun" he bade softly. "I'm taking you back to the PLANTS where you belong."

Athrun allowed a small, bitter smile to wipe some of the grief from his face. "I guess that's where I belong after all." He thought about mentioning Cagalli but his mind advised against it. While his father would understand that the school had acted out of hate and bias towards his son, he would never understand Athrun's affections for Cagalli… for a Natural.

Patrick gave a ghost of a smile as he let his hand drop from his son's face. "It most certainly is. I will personally see to it that that school suffers for the wrongs dealt to you but even so, it's probably best this way."

Athrun blinked several times. Yet, perhaps the most shocking thing was that he was not surprised. Patrick's words were not unexpected. In many ways, his father reminded him of the man from the assembly.

"Athrun?"

The boy blinked, glancing up at his father nervously.

"You didn't attack that girl did you?"

"No!" Athrun shook his head almost violently. "Of course I didn't!"

Patrick nodded knowingly and frowned lightly. "No need to raise your voice, young man. I just had to be sure. I didn't think you did."

"I'm sorry. I'm just tired," Athrun admitted. In truth, he was not speaking about being physically tired. His emotions and heart had been on such a rollercoaster lately that he was finally starting to feel the effects of it all. He just wanted to sleep, to cry and scream away everything. Whether he liked it or not, he would have to accept the fact that he would never see Cagalli again.

At that instant, there was a piercing cry that caused both of them to jump. Athrun whirled around to see two distant figures across the way. He couldn't make out what was happening but there was certainly a lot of commotion.

He saw a blur of blond hair furiously pull away from an older man, shouting angrily at him. The two were dangerously close to the cliff of the gorge but seem too caught up in a heated argument to really notice. Athrun cringed when he heard the girl cry out a second time.

"I said no!" Her voice was muffled by the winds but Athrun could still vaguely make out her words. "I'm not going back without saying goodbye! I won't!"

"Please, you are only making this more difficult!"

"Let go of me! I am not a child anymore!"

"Just try to understand my perspective!"

A shrill cry shattered Athrun's eardrums as he saw the man lunch towards the figure he assumed to be his daughter again. The girl leapt back but misjudged the distance. One of her feet slipped and Athrun's eyes widened when he saw the blonde blur slip and disappear. Before he could think anymore of it, a rush of people blocked his view.

"Good Lord!" Patrick gasped as pedestrians suddenly gathered, obstructing both Athrun's and his view even more. People were screaming, calling desperately for help. Two men ran off to get more assistance while two security guards, one carrying a rope, rushed over to deal with the commotion.

"Did you see that?" Patrick asked.

Athrun didn't answer.

The calls echoed around the gorge once again, and Athrun could see a larger group forming around the edge of the cliff. He squinted, suddenly concerned. Before he knew what he was doing, he withdrew from his father and turned towards the gorge.

He opened in a frantic run towards the source of the screeching sounds, and came to a quick stop as he found himself standing across the street from the cliff. Not so far away, a few meters a head, the cluster of people had gathered, all huddled around a tree that tilted sideways into the chasm, all eyes looking down into the gorge. Things happened quickly and as people rushed to help, Athrun found himself also feeling the overwhelming need to do something.

Adding one plus one, Athrun quickly realized that the girl had fallen off the edge. He rushed forward.

"Just don't look down!"

Athrun's eyes widened as he heard Uzumi Yula Athha calling down into the chasm while hanging onto the rope that the security guard had brought over. Athrun could only assume it was common practice for airport security to carry ropes since they were so close to the gorge. "Just hang on!"

"I need more rope!" Uzumi hollered again, his voice tight with panic.

As Athrun arrived, he saw the two security guards belonging to the airport, holding down a rope, straining at the effort of supporting Uzumi. Looking down, Athrun saw a blonde girl hanging by the tree's root, five meters below them. Uzumi was suspended about two meters above her. And there wasn't enough rope.

All this he noted in less than three seconds; then the fallen girl's voice was heard.

"Oh God! Dad, I'm slipping!"

"Hold on!!!" The Uzumi cursed, trying to find a hold in the rock and climb down.

"AHHH!!!!!" The girl screeched, squirming, trying to get a better hold of the branch. She nearly slipped and a few rocks rolled down into the abyss, followed by the crowd's calls of worry and distress.

Athrun felt his heart skip a beat when he recognized the girl dangling helplessly above the ragging river several meters below. He could hear his father's footsteps coming from behind and, in less than an instant, Athrun realized he had to make a decision and act. He didn't like cliffs but at the moment, he had forgotten that little detail.

"Dammit, someone get more rope!"

"Hurry up!" Uzumi cried, fear for his daughter's life making him curt.

"There isn't any more!"

"I'm slipping!"

"What the hell?!"

All eyes turned from the scene as they saw a figure streak by, running towards the tree, jumping high up in the air, using one branch as a ramp and then plunging down into the chasm.

"ATHRUN!!!!" Patrick shouted furiously as he watched his son jump down into the gorge. Watching in dismay as his son disappeared into the gorge, he took off towards the crowd. "What are you doing?! Athrun, no!"

"Oh God!" A girl called. "He fell!!!"

All watched in horror and then awe as Athrun dropped down into the abyss, flinging his hands up, trying to get a hold of the tree's roots that stuck out of the cliff. Finally he got a good hold of one, roughly stopping his descent, hanging right above the fallen girl's head.

All breathed in relief, some muttering words of astonishment.

Athrun fixed his grip around the root, and looked down at the girl. His eyes widened as he looked down upon her face. Though her features were covered with dust and dirt, messy bangs clinging to her sweaty brow, her auburn eyes screwed shut with fear, Athrun could still tell who she was.

His resolve hardened.

He reached down his hand towards her, lowering himself down as much as he could afford. "Give me your hand!" He called, voice clear with command.

The girl shook her head heretically, wrapping both arms around the root. "I'll fall!" She cried, refusing to open her eyes. "Someone help me!"

Athrun could feel the branch he was hanging by begin to give way. He didn't have much time. "Please," He called, voice urging. "You have to trust me. Give me your hand. Just one."

"No! NO! There's no way that branch can hold both of us!" She called, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes and running down her dusty cheeks.

Athrun grit his teeth, thinking fast as to how to make her trust him.

The girl began sobbing again, clutching tightly to the branch, head buried in her arms, eyes shut tight.

"Cagalli," He said her name suddenly. "Cagalli, it's me."

The girl jerked her head up, gaping at him. He was smiling down at her, his eyes radiating reassurance.

"Athrun..." The Cagalli stammered, looking up into his deep emerald eyes with disbelief, as if she had found something she didn't think she could find in there.

Athrun lowered himself a little more, his hand nearly touching her head. "Your hand, Cagalli, give me your hand, and I'll pull you back up."

Cagalli bit her lower lip, looking up at him with tearful eyes.

"I promise I'll get you up. All you have to do is give me one hand. Just one."

"Listen to him Cagalli!" Uzumi called from above. Everything was happening so fast he had hardly recognized the bold boy as Patrick Zala's son and, at this point, he really didn't care.

The branch Athrun was hanging by creaked again. Athrun whirled his head around and looked desperately at Cagalli, eyes begging. "Please Cagalli... C'mon...trust me."

She trusted him. With her life she trusted him.

She closed her eyes tight and with one swift motion, threw her arm up at him. She felt his strong grip around her wrist, and before she knew it, she felt this great force pull her up, yanking her off the root she was holding. Instantly, the root snapped, falling down into the abyss below only to be swallowed by the ranging rapids that coursed through the gorge.

When she finally dared to open her eyes, she saw that she was clutching her arms around Athrun's neck, legs locked secured around his waist, and she was leaning against his back.

As a few rocks rolled down the cliff, Cagalli snapped her eyes shut again, and tightened her grip around Athrun's neck. The boy only groaned, but carried on without complaint. Now within range of Uzumi, Athrun's ears perked at the all too familiar creak when he made a move to climb up the cliff. Immediately he stopped, realizing that any more pressure on the branch he was holding would cause it to snap.

Sweat bled out of every pore as he struggled to breathe. Glancing upward, he saw that he and Cagalli were now in range of her father, who was still dangling just inches above them. His eyes narrowed; his hands slippery with sweat as he readjusted his grip. "Cagalli," He hissed firmly. "Climb up my shoulders and grab your father's hand. He'll be able to pull you up."

"What?" Cagalli tightened her hold on him, resolutely refusing to let go. "What… what about you?"

"This branch won't hold our weight much longer," Athrun gritted out and gasped when he felt the branch lurch forward, just moments from snapping. "Cagalli you have to."

Overwhelmed by what was happening and too upset and frightened to argue, Cagalli nodded and shakily stretched an arm out towards Uzumi's hand. Her fingers brushed against his but she was still unable to reach him. Again she tried and again she failed, all the while tightening her grip around Athrun's neck. The boy's hands were shaking from the strain of keeping them from falling and his vision was starting to blur, making him dizzy.

Then he heard it. There was an ear-piercing snap and Athrun immediately realized that they had run out of time. Without any concern for himself and his mind now completely focused on getting Cagalli to safety, he pulled his feet up against the cliff. Affirming his grip around the loosening branch, he used it as a lever to pull himself upward.

The motion was enough to bring Cagalli high enough that she could grab her father's but it was also enough to pull the branch that Athrun had been holding out of the cliff. Feeling the Uzumi's strong hold upon her wrist, Cagalli gasped when she felt Athrun's body slip out from beneath her. "No!" She screamed and looked down just in time to see the branch that had been supporting them rip out of the side of the cliff. "Athrun!"

The branch instantly made its plunge into the depths below and with it, went Athrun. Descending at speeds that were beyond his comprehension, Athrun just barely had enough time to open his mouth to release an air-starved scream before he plunged into the icy water below. He struck something hard and cried out in pain as he felt something inside of him crack.

Resurfacing, it took Athrun a brief moment to realize that he was amongst the ranging rapids and was quickly being carried downstream. His legs scrapped painfully against submerged rocks as the current pulled him along.

Looking up to see how far away from the bank he was, Athrun realized there was no way he could reach it. Seeing a partially-submerged branch heading towards him, he made a move towards it but was knocked off stroke and the current caught him again.

The water moved rapidly down stream, much too fast for Athrun to do more than cling to the small tree he had finally been able to grab onto. Athrun could feel his body giving out on him, a sharp pain in his ribcage making it impossible for him to make a try at swimming against the current and toward the shore. To the weary boy, it had seemed like everything was a blur and all of his energies now were concentrated on keeping himself from drowning.

Athrun hit more turbulence and had to fight hard to keep from losing his hold on the tree as he and the sapling were pulled under, the water rushing over his body at a frightening speed. Just when Athrun felt as if his lungs were ready to burst and he would surely drown, the force of the under current pushed him upward and to the surface of the water. Athrun coughed and spat out the water from his mouth, looking back over his shoulder to where he had just come and silently whispering a prayer of gratitude that he had made it this far.

Every muscle and joint in his body now ached from the rough treatment, his head throbbed, and Athrun feared that he would not be able to hold on much longer. His eyes stayed fixed on the fierce waters in front of him as his thoughts momentarily turned to Cagalli. Athrun wondered how she had faired when the branch had given way. Now he could only hope that Uzumi had managed to grab onto her.

Athrun's thoughts quickly returned to the violent waters as the sounds around him grew in volume and he watched in horror as the rapids pulled him at terrifying speeds towards an uprooted rock. Frantically, Athrun searched the banks for a means of escape but realized too late that his body was unwilling and unable to follow the commands that his brain issued. Athrun's last thoughts were of Cagalli and his father – he hoped they both would be able to forgive him.

There was a sickening impact and pain exploded throughout Athrun's body. He lost his grip on the branch he'd been clinging to and the last thing he was aware of was water rushing into his nose and mouth.

"ATHRUN! ATHRUN!" screamed Cagalli repeatedly from above until her voice cracked. Now safely back on land, she frantically she twisted in her father's arms. Glancing down, she desperately searched the turbulent waters below for any sign of Athrun but could see nothing. He was gone.

_TBC _

_Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter. runs and hides Please don't be worried – We will find out what happens to Athrun in the next chapter ok? I couldn't see Patrick being angry with Athrun in this chapter because I do believe that he did have a soft side at one point and did care about his son. As for Cagalli and Uzumi – what happened was an accident. He didn't push her – he caught her at the airport and in their argument she slipped. That was what I wanted to get across. I hope I did…and if Cagalli was a bit out of character... well, she was terrified. I know I would be. _

_Please let me know what you think ok? I like hearing from you… I welcome constructive criticism. It is the only way to get better. I also tried to incorporate Kira and Lacus in this chapter – they will have an important role to play in the future. Any predications? Oh! I can also promise a happy ending! I finally know how I want to end this! YAY! _

_Thanks so much again for your kind reviews. You really keep this story going. _

_Take care, _

_  
Krilyn _


	14. From the Waters

_Hi everyone!_

_First, thank you for all the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate it. Secondly, I want to apologize for not updating in so long. It's never good to give excuses but I had a hockey injury almost three months ago and pretty much ruined my left leg. _

_I've been focusing on relearning how to walk and have been quit depressed and lost my inspiration to write. I am sorry for neglecting this story and I hope you all can understand. I am, however, back now and promise to finish this story as soon as I can. I want to thank Aguescar for getting me off my butt to start writing again. Thanks!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own GS or GSD. I wish I did though._

_Warnings: Very angry Patrick Zala_

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #14: From the Waters**

Patrick Zala had seen and felt many things during this lifetime yet no words could describe what he felt the moment he realized that Athrun had fallen into the river. In a state of panic, he had grabbed the nearest security guard and demanded to know the quickest way down to the river. The airport security didn't hesitate and had readily agreed to take him down the river to where the rapids had most likely dragged his son. Several other bystanders had followed them, curious to know the fate of the boy that had so willingly given himself up to rescue the girl.

The convoy had driven for 10 minutes but for Patrick, those minutes seem to last an eternity and he felt as though he had aged several lifetimes before the driver finally slid the car to a gracelessly stop at the side of the riverbank. Forcing the door open, he leapt out of the car and desperately scanned the area, looking for any sign of his precious child.

"There!" The driver called and motioned for Patrick to look over by the rocks.

His heart caught in his throat at what he saw. The young man was pointing at a prone figure lying twisted among the rocks. "Athrun! Oh God, someone call an ambulance!"

People were scrambling, each one seemingly unsure what they should be doing but all feeling the need to do something while Patrick staggered into the shallow waters to retrieve his boy. As he pulled the limp body of his son into his arms, Patrick knew that he had to be very careful moving Athrun. He had no idea how badly injured his was, but they couldn't leave him in the water. Moving with infinite care, Patrick waded slowly to the bank, where the crowd and a shaken Cagalli and Izumi stood.

"Is he…?" Cagalli asked, as Patrick knelt and laid Athrun carefully on the grass.

Patrick just ignored her. He wasn't even aware that the Athhas had followed him down to the river. Stooping down alongside his son, Patrick placed his fingers to Athrun's throat and was relieved to find a weak pulse. Patrick glanced out down the river towards the rapids that hummed in the distance and slowly shook his head.

"Athrun, hang in there, son," he mumbled as he felt along the twisted body finding the broken bones in both legs and left arm. Patrick probed gently along the ribcage and noted the busted ribs as well.

"Is he dead?" Cagalli asked a second time, her words barely a whisper.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Patrick jerked his head up and fired the young girl a look that could burn through metal. Angry tears threatened to spill from the corners of his eyes as realized that both Cagalli and her father had come with the convoy of curious observers. "Haven't you done enough? Because of _you_, my son is going to die! Because of you! Get out of my sight before… before… just get out of here!"

Taken back by Patrick's outburst, Cagalli withdrew to her father's side. She felt Izumi's arms wrap around her protectively as she took in sight of Athrun's limp and sodden body lying lifelessly on the ground at her feet. Her fault? No! This wasn't what she wanted! She hadn't meant for any of this to happen!

Before anyone could respond, Athrun's body convulsed and he began to cough weakly. Water sputtered out from between his pale blue lips and Patrick had to carefully help Athrun readjust his position so he could expel the water that he had swallowed from his lungs. He coughed and choked, each motion noticeably causing his ribs to ignite with fiery pain. Only when he the last of the water was gone did Athrun let himself go limp and he collapsed again to the muddy earth. Incoherent moans escaped his tinted lips, causing Patrick to cringe.

A wave of silence swept over the crowd as everyone waited, desperate to hear the verdict, desperate to see what would be the young man's fate.

"Breath, breath," Patrick coaxed his son desperately as Athrun choked, struggling to catch his breath. Apparently not all the water had been expelled from his lungs. Supporting Athrun's trembling form, Patrick looked up at one of the security guards with urgency and fear in his eyes. "Where the hell is that ambulance?!" He hollered, unable to hide the panic in his voice.

"Ambulance… Athrun…" Cagalli's mind could barely register the words. She stood, frozen at her father's side, staring down in disbelief as the groaning and pained figure that had been her world for the past few months. Why? Of all people, why did it have to be him?

Athrun moaned at the strain the coughing had placed on his ribs and went completely limp, leaning against his father for support. The world was fading; slow moving circles of color were all that he could see as his body shook beyond his control. Moaning painfully, Athrun rested his head against Patrick's shoulder.

"Athrun!"

Hearing his name, Athrun opened his bleary eyes and stared blankly at the figure before him. A blur of brown, purple and white was all that he saw. His horrid and incoherent moans made his father cringe in sympathy and pain.

"Athrun, do you know where you are?" Patrick asked when he felt that he had managed to reach his disoriented son. "Athrun?"

"_He's talking to me,"_ Athrun's baffled brain managed to process slowly. "_He's asking me a question… what question? I don't remember…. Where am I? I don't know! I don't know! What happened? What's going on?!"_

"Dun…no…where…" Was all that escaped his trembling lips as another wave of nausea swept over him. He moaned feebly under its wrath.

"Athrun, do you know who we are?" Patrick tried again, wondering when the ambulance would arrive and just how serious Athrun had been injured. His heart ached at the very sight of him. Blinking back tears of sorrow, Patrick fought desperately against the urge to fall to his knees and weep for his beloved son and the unjust fate that had befallen him.

"Hang in there, Athrun, hang in there…"

Struggling, Athrun awkwardly glanced around at the blurry figures surrounding him, blinking as if confused. He knew these people. He was sure of it. However, his aching mind failed to provide him with any sort of answer or response. Pain. Ever iota of his body was screaming in agony, firing signals to his brain that it was damaged.

"Father," He muttered weakly and groaned as a wave of pain flared up along his rib cage. "Hurts… Cagalli…"

It hurt. Everything hurt. Waves of pain and agony washed over him, devoured him. He could hear voices, but they weren't soft but instead sharp and harsh. They rained down on him and pierced his brain like daggers. "_Help me!"_ His mind screamed, pleading for someone to lift him from his tomb of anguish. It was as if demons and all the forces of hell had taken hold of him, attacking him and thrusting nothing but intense pain and misery upon his vulnerable, prone form. He couldn't fight them! He couldn't defend himself against the persistent onslaught of torture!

Patrick bit his bottom lip and stepped back as he heard the sound of people scurrying about behind him. The ambulance had finally arrived. Frantically, the paramedics pushed the crowd aside as they pounced on their patient. Prying Patrick away from his son, they managed to get Athrun on a stretcher and into the ambulance.

When Cagalli made a motion to follow, Patrick spun around on his heels and just the look of fury in his eyes caused her to stop dead in her tracks. "I just want to make sure…"

"Why are you still here?!" Patrick raged. "Stay the hell away from my boy! Do you hear me, you stupid girl?! I don't want you anywhere near him!"

If it was possible, Cagalli went completely white. She felt her father come up alongside of her and pull her close. Tears immediately began to cloud her vision as she watched Patrick hull himself into the back of the ambulance with his son and slam the door shut. "I didn't mean it…" She whispered hoarsely and spun around to bury her face in her father's chest. "Oh God! I'm so sorry!"

"Come on, Cagalli," Izumi sighed. "Let's go back. There is nothing we can do for your friend right now."

She didn't want to leave. She couldn't leave him. Not after what he had did. Yet, Patrick didn't want her around and the little bit of sanity she had left told her that now was not the time to press the issue.

Weakly, she managed a small nod.

It was only a matter of minutes before the ambulance was on its way. Patrick had chosen to remain in the back so that he could keep an eye on Athrun. With as much care as he could muster, he washed away as much dirt and mud from Athrun's face and from the gash on his right arm as was possible. Her heart broke each and every time that the vehicle jarred from hitting a rut and Athrun's cries reached his ears. Patrick took Athrun's hand in his own and whispered soft words of comfort as he stroked his head. When the ambulance's wheel rolled into a deep hole and tossed sideways, Athrun's scream of anguish sent his father into a steady stream of prayers that never once stopped until at last they reached the hospital.

WMWMMWMWMWMMWMWMWMMWMW

The instant the ambulance reached the hospital, Athrun was whisked away from his father. Patrick was left standing alone in the waiting room as the doctors tended to his son. He shuddered, wondering just how good the doctors on earth were.

He wondered about many things as he waited. He wondered what had driven his son to jump after that stupid girl. He wondered what his life would be like without his son. He wondered if his son was in pain even now. Suddenly, everything seemed unimportant and almost trivial.

When the sun began to rise and reach through the waiting room window with its gentle rays, Patrick decided that he had had enough. It had been a long night and he didn't trust the doctors here – not with his son. They were Naturals after all. They had tormented Athrun during his time at the school because he was a Coordinator and a Zala. Why would the hospital be any different? He rose to his feet in disgust and was about to begin making arrangements to transfer Athrun to the PLANTS when he heard someone call his name. It was faint at first but gradually, it became louder.

"Mr. Zala?"

He glanced over his shoulder and raised a disapproving eyebrow when he saw a tall woman with dark hair standing by the entrance to the waiting room. She was dressed in formal attire and although her face was solemn, he doubted that it was entirely sincere.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly. "Can't you see I'm a little busy."

"I regret all that has happened. I am principal of your son's school," The woman told him and straightened as she spoke. "I'm the one who expelled him from the academy."

"You," Patrick's eyes narrowed as his dark orbs burned with fury. "What do you want? Actually, I don't care. I want nothing to do with you or your kind. Leave me alone."

"It would appear that there has been a misunderstanding."

"What?"

"The student your son was accused of assaulting came forward," She explained, undeterred by the man's anger. "Your son was innocent after all."

As if on cue, Meer, followed closely by Lacus and Kira walked through the door and stood directly behind their principal. She took Meer by the shoulders and gently guided her forward. "This is Meer Cambell," She explained. "During the evening in question, she was being harassed by some other school boys and Athrun came to her assistance. At least, that is how the story goes. Regardless, I have no choice but to withdraw my accusations and punishment. Your son may re-enroll in my school, if he so wishes."

Patrick's eyes widened. "You are lucky you're a woman," He growled. "Otherwise, I would kill you where you stand. Listen to yourself. You don't want to believe the confessions of this girl, do you? You don't want my son attending your school – do you?!"

"I trust the word of my students."

"But you didn't seem to do so when my boy told you that he didn't do anything wrong!"

"With all do respect," The principal gritted her teeth to bite back a sharp reply. "You were not present. Assault is something that is not taken lightly at our institution. There were witnesses who testified to seeing your boy with Meer that night. What else could I have done? I had to expel him."

"Assault should never be taken lightly," Patrick agreed. "But that doesn't justify how you treated my son! Never has Athrun lied about anything and if he says he didn't do anything, it means he didn't! If you had listened to him, he would not be where he is right now!"

"All guilty clients will deny their deeds," The principal spat. "Just because he is your son does not make him special."

"I'm sorry," Meer whispered softly. "I didn't mean for him to get hurt."

"Shut up!" Patrick snapped. "Sorry won't help Athrun will it you stupid, stupid girl!"

"Don't talk to her that way!" The principal retorted. "She's just trying to do the right thing!"

"I've heard enough!" Patrick exploded. Pointing a raging finger at the principal and her three students, he continued to shake it furiously at them, all the while shouting so loudly that the pictures on the wall trembled with fear. "My son and I want nothing to do with your pathetic institution and your dishonest bunch of hooligans! I don't want any of you people anywhere near my child and you can mark my words that when this is all over, you will be hearing from my lawyer!"

_To hell with this place_ He thought bitterly. He was going to have Athrun transferred to a hospital in the PLANTS. At least there he would be safe. With that in mind, he stormed off out of the waiting room.

"Wait just a minute!" She barked out at him and scurried off in pursuit of the ranging politician with Kira, Lacus and Meer close behind.

Only moments after his departure, Izumi and Cagalli burst into the room. Izumi had hoped that Patrick would now be calm and rational enough to understand just how badly his daughter had to ensure Athrun was going to survive. The night had been long and all she had done was continually plead with him about when she could go see Athrun at the hospital.

As they entered, Cagalli's stomach did a flip as the horrid smell of disinfectant filled her nostrils. Unconsciously, she clung tightly to Izumi's arm as they approached the receptionist.

"This is all my fault." She muttered softly.

"Cagalli, stop it," Izumi cut her off. "This wasn't your fault. You had no control over what happened so you have to stop blaming yourself for this."

"What if he doesn't make it!?" Cagalli shot back, and shook her head. "He might die because of me!"

"Cagalli you can't think like that," Izumi bit his lip. It was hard to give encouragement when he didn't even know just how serious Athrun had been hurt.

"It's isn't your fault." Izumi repeated sternly. "You must promise me that whatever we see, or whatever the outcome may be you will not blame yourself for this."

"I… I promise." Cagalli nodded weakly though she really didn't know if she could honor such a bold promise.

"Excuse me," Izumi smiled politely at the receptionist, though it was clear that he was anxious. "We would like to see a Mr. Athrun Zala. He was brought in late yesterday. I know we are early but could you tell me where to find him?"

"Zala?" The receptionist frowned as she quickly ran her fingers across the keyboard. "Oh yes, I see." Suddenly, her expression softened as she leaned forward, reading her computer screen carefully. "Ohhh… yes… I see…"

"See?" Cagalli gasped. Jumping up, she leaned forward, trying to see. "See what? What's wrong with him? Why are you talking like that?"

"Room 267." Was all the receptionist said – suddenly very, very subdued.

"Cagalli, calm down," Izumi hissed as he forced her along the narrow aisle way. "There is no point in getting all riled up."

Picking up the pace, they were stopped by a man in a white lab coat who was sitting on a seat just outside of room the room. He seemed in deep thought as he re-read whatever was in his folder before he looked up at them curiously. "Can I help you?"

"We are here to see Athrun Zala." Izumi explained though he was getting a little tired of saying it.

"Are you his doctor?" Cagalli asked.

The older man looked up at her through his glasses and closed his folder. "His father didn't want him to have any visitors."

"He saved her life," Izumi explained. "My daughter would like to offer her thanks."

Cagalli nodded and watched as the older man stood up. Beads of sweat rolled down her face as the man readjusted his glasses and looked each of them over.

"Very well." He announced before lowering his voice. "I suppose I can't deny you that."

"Can we see him now?" Cagalli asked but immediately regretted it when he saw the look in the doctor's eyes.

"I think you should hear what I have to say first."

Cagalli paled. She knew it. Athrun was dead… or dying and it was because of her. Shaking her head, she clutched tightly to Izumi's coat until her wrists were white. His innocent grin, his soft, alto-pitched voice…. She would never hear it again! Ever!

"He broke his right leg and his left arm." Dr. Isha explained carefully. "It's the ribs, however, that are concerning. His breathing is uneven and I am afraid there may have been some internal damage."

"What… what do you mean?" Izumi demanded, his concern making him harsh. "You can help him, can't you?"

"I'm telling you that he has suffered a great deal of trauma." The doctor shot back with equal intensity. "We gave him some medication for the pain but he's hasn't awoken since he arrived. I wanted to operate but his father would have none of it."

"But does he need surgery?" Izumi asked, feeling Cagalli tense up against him.

The doctor simply nodded. "His breathing is troubling." His voice softened as did his eyes. "His father is arranging to have him transferred to the PLANTS. He believes that they will do a better job caring for him up there."

"What can they do that you can't?!" Izumi cried in disbelief. Then he noticed something in the doctor's eyes and his own expression hardened. "You've already given up on him haven't you?"

"I'm sorry," The doctor whispered. "His father has forbid us to do anything more than we already have."

"No!" Cagalli shook her head in denial. She wasn't hearing this… she was NOT hearing this. "You have got to try to save him! Please! He doesn't deserve this!"

"We've hooked him up to an IV and given him two units of blood." Dr. Isha told them. "He is no longer my patient."

"You are a doctor!" Cagalli exploded, emotions coursing through her. "You must be able to do something!"

"Don't you think I WANT to?!" Dr. Isha snapped, waving an angry finger in the girl's face. "Don't you think I want to save that boy's life? Do you think it is easy for me to stand aside and watch my patient slowly slip away?! His father won't allow us to operate!"

Everyone was silent as the doctor sighed and shook his head in frustration. It was clear he cared… it was clear that he didn't want to see his patient die. Especially not one so young.

"Well…" Izumi stepped forward cautiously and shifted uncomfortably. "You say there may be internal damage. Would he survive a trip to the PLANTS?"

"At this point I do not know." The doctor admitted. "He hasn't improved since he arrived but he hasn't gotten any worse either."

Cagalli listened, absorbing each word slowly. Suddenly she felt disassociated with the world around her. It was as if she was not longer in her body, she felt numb. There was no pain, no happiness… nothing. It was as if she had become void to the world around her.

"You may see him if you want," Dr. Isha told them as he stepped to the side and allowed the group to enter the room. "Just don't expect him to respond to you… I'm afraid he won't."

Cagalli nodded; her hands trembling as she nervously gripped the door handle to the room. Gently pushing it open, she entered and gazed in. Goose bumps formed on her arms as she was welcomed by a room of darkness. It was only dimly lit by a light above, making it difficult to see yet she could still make out a lithe figure lying limp on the soft bed in the center of the room.

Approaching slowly, she held tightly to Izumi as he guided her towards it. Her eyes were wide with dread as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Moving closer, she grimaced when she caught sight off all the tubes the covered his body and the machinery surrounding his bed… she could only assume it was keeping him alive.

He was lying on his back, his eyes sealed tightly shut, an expression of pain clearly pasted across his features. His dark hair was greasy, damp from perspiration and several lank strands fell over his pale face. Athrun had one arm resting over his bare chest while the other lay limp and bandaged at his side. Cagalli couldn't help but noticed the large bruise that spread across his face… she figured there had been more damage done than the doctor had let on.

Slowly, she reached down and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

No response. He didn't even know she was there.

Izumi remained quiet as they listened to the heart monitor as it beeped loudly and the shallow breaths that the young man who had saved Cagalli's life.

"Oh Athrun," She whispered softly as she delicately brushed the lank strands of hair from his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Izumi sensed that Cagalli was going to break down and motioned for her to step out of the room. This was just too much for her. As he too turned to leave, a sharp gasp caused him to freeze in the doorway. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he heard it again.

As his eyes drifted back to the hospital bed, he was shocked to find his gaze meeting that of the emerald-eyed boy. His glassy eyes were dilated and unfocussed but they were fixed on him nonetheless. The boy opened his dry lips a crack and swallowed – clearly he was trying to say something.

Hesitating only for a moment, Izumi moved back to the bed. "Athrun?" He asked gently. "Can you hear me?"

The boy managed a weak nod and swallowed a second time, licking his lips as he prepared to speak. "Pap…er…" He just barely was able to get the word out and Izumi had to lean forward in order to understand.

"Paper?" He frowned. "You want paper?"

"Pen."

Scrambling, Izumi fumbled with his pockets to pull out a pad of post-it paper and his business pen. Kneeling down by the side of Athrun's bed he noticed the boy had raised his undamaged hand about an inch off of his chest. Ever so carefully, he placed the pen in Athrun's wobbly fingers and held out the paper so he could write on it.

The young Coordinator's hand was unsteady as he slowly moved the ink tip across the smooth surface. Izumi could see that the effort of doing so was draining the boy and he could see the perspiration gathering on Athrun's brow.

"Athrun, I don't know if you can hear me," Izumi lowered his gaze, suddenly overwhelmed by guilt. None of this had been Cagalli's fault despite the fact he knew she would keep blaming herself. It was his. He hadn't given him a fair chance. Even though he now knew to what extent Athrun loved his daughter, no one should have to jump off a cliff to prove their devotion. "Athrun, I'm so very sorry. For everything. I should have trusted you and I should have trusted my daughter. I want you to know that… I was wrong about you. I know that now. Please, forgive me."

Athrun finished what he was writing and his hand dropped to the mattress. He gulped down his next breath and groaned at the pain that caused. Somewhere, in his drug-induced state, he could still feel the anguish that had manifested itself in his chest. He turned his head ever so slightly so he could better see Izumi.

"Give…Cagalli…"

Izumi opened his mouth to reply but couldn't. Athrun's glazed eyes drooped shut and his head dropped down further into the pillow supporting it.

At that same moment, Cagalli stepped back into the room, her eyes puffy and wet from tears. "Dad?" She asked weakly. "Is something wrong?"

Inhaling deeply, Izumi lowered his eyes. His fingers tightened around the piece of paper in his hands as he fought to find the words he should say. His gaze slowly lingered back to Athrun who was now, once again, unconscious.

"Dad…" Cagalli's eyes followed her father's gaze. "What is it?"

"He was awake for a second," Izumi told her and his head clinched when he saw the look of desperation in his daughter's eyes. Immediately, she made a move to go to the bed-ridden boy but Izumi stopped her.

"He's asleep again."

"Did… did he say anything?"

Izumi nodded and, taking his daughter's hand, he placed the crinkled piece of paper in it. Slowly, he closed her fingers around it and held Cagalli's hand firmly. "He asked me to give this to you."

"What is…"

"What the hell are you two doing in here!?"

Cagalli literally jumped several feet as Patrick Zala's voice rang loudly through the corridor. Spinning around, her eyes widened as she saw Athrun's father storming towards them. She felt her father grab her by the shoulders and pull her close as the angry Coordinator approached them.

"Have you not caused enough trouble already?" Patrick barked. "I thought I told you to stay away from my son!"

"We just came to give him our best," Izumi told him slowly. "No need to get excited."

"Excited?!" Patrick raged. "Your mindless daughter almost killed my boy!"

"Now hold on a minute," Izumi shook his head. "We didn't mean any harm. The doctor told us you are taking him back to the PLANTS, is this true?"

"That is none of your business," Patrick snapped curtly.

"The doctor thinks Athrun might need surgery," Cagalli dared to speak up. "Something is wrong with his breathing. He could die on the journey back to space. Please, you have to let them operate."

"You expect me trust the Naturals to heal Athrun? After it was your twisted kind that humiliated him, hurt him, betrayed him and almost had him killed?!"

"But there are doctors here who can help and…"

"And I don't trust them," Patrick cut her off. "Now, I want both of you out of here and away from Athrun."

"But…"

"Come, Cagalli," Izumi carefully steered her past Patrick and down the hall. "There is no use in arguing. I'm sure Athrun will be alright."

"But…" Cagalli fumbled over the words as he father escorted back towards the reception desk and towards the parking lot. Her mind was spinning wildly out of control as guilt gnawed at her conscience. This was all because of her. Athrun's suffering was all her fault.

It was then she realized that she was holding the piece of paper Izumi had given her closely to her chest. Opening up the palm of her hand, she let out a heavy sigh. It was just a small piece of notepaper. Yet, when she took a closer look, she noticed that there was a message that had been scribbled on it.

Cagalli stopped in the waiting and stared at it thoughtfully. Her father stopped and looked at her quizzically. She knew she shouldn't read it but something inside her didn't seem to register that as she scanned over the piece of paper.

414 Union Ave.

PLANT LX014237

5TT3 8UI7

Cagalli was in tears before she finished, dropping the paper to the ground in shock. She couldn't take it anymore. The reality of what was happening was too much. She couldn't handle it. Her knees gave out from beneath her and she would have fallen had her father not caught her.

It was Athrun's home address.

Sobbing relentlessly, she cried into his chest, she cried out all her sorrow, all her grief, all her guilt. She cried for Athrun who was in misery because of her, she cried for his family who had been hurt by all of this and… she cried for herself and all the grief that had been set upon her. The tears were pouring from her eyes in small rivers but she didn't stop. She couldn't. She couldn't do anything… anything but cry.

**TBC**

_Well, I hope you liked it. It was really heard writing and I promise the next chapter will be better. And yes, things will start getting better for Athrun soon I promise. I don't like really sad endings. And well, he had to be banged up a bit... i mean, he did fall off a cliff. Oh, and I haven't forgotten about Yuna. I will deal with him. Suggestions? Please let me know ok? I really love getting feedback._

_I will try to put more Kira and Lacus in the next chapter ok? I know, I've been neglecting them. Well, it's late and well past my bedtime. Thank you for being patient and understanding that I have been going through a really rough time with my injury. I will try to post again soon. I am sorry about spelling/grammar errors._

_Thanks, until next time._

_Krilyn_


	15. Remnants of Memories

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for your patience and extra thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter. I am so happy that you are enjoying the story. I will try not to disappoint you. I am a little disappointed with this chapter though but after about a month I want to move on with the story.

Please excuse any spelling/grammar errors.

**Disclaimer: I don't own GS or GSD**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #15: Remnants of Memories**

Patrick never left Athrun's bedside. None of his associates back in the PLANTS pushed him either though they were starting to notice a mild deterioration in the man's health. Patrick almost never slept and he hardly ate unless food was brought to him. Stubborn, he refused to leave his son alone. It had been a week since Athrun undergone surgery in the PLANTS and while the younger boy had slept through most of the week, Patrick hadn't and the mental strain was beginning to take its toll.

That evening, Mr. Amarfi hulled himself up the creaky staircase of the Zala residence to where he knew his associate and the household patient hid. He had volunteered to temporarily move into the Zala home to help Patrick see to Athrun. Through the crack in the door, he sighed when he saw Patrick lying unconscious across Athrun's bed; his head just inches from that of the blue-haired boy. Mr. Amarfi approached quietly and gave his friend a gentle nudge on the shoulder.

"Patrick… Patrick," He whispered and stepped back when he finally stirred. "Patrick, I think you should get some rest."

"Huh?" Patrick blinked and for a second, seemed to forget where he was. Glancing down, his expression saddened when he finally reestablished his surroundings. It was then that he noticed the pair of glossy, blood-shot hazel eyes looking up at him. Patrick gasped. "Athrun?"

Mr. Amarfi hurried over; his eyes wide as it sunk in that the boy was once again awake. "Is he conscious?"

"Athrun?" Patrick asked again and reached up to gently caress the side of his son's face, where the swelling had gone down. "How are you feeling?"

Athrun didn't answer rather he simply blinked slowly, his expression unreadable. Patrick felt his throat go dry – for someone so young; Athrun looked years beyond his age. His eyes had sunken and his skin was a pasty white. The light from the dimly lit candle by his bed reflected off his pale completion, reminding both Mr. Amarfi and Patrick just how delicate he really was. Most of all, he looked drained, drained of strength, of will and of life.

"I don't think he understands," Mr. Amarfi said carefully as his eyes moved from Athrun to Patrick. "Keep in mind, he's been through quit a bit… very much like that poor girl he rescued. Have you heard any word for her? Or her family?"

For a long moment, Patrick gazed down hard at his son, noticing how the boy's glazed eyes seemed to regain some recognition at the mentioning of Cagalli. Athrun's eyes drifted upwards until they were focused on his father, silently searching for a response to Mr. Amarfi's question.

"No," Patrick finally answered, the tension suddenly growing heavy in the room. "Not so much as a thank you."

Patrick averted his eyes from Athrun as he confirmed his answer while struggling to contain himself. "I've heard nothing from that girl or her ungrateful father."

The boy just continued to stare and Mr. Amarfi knew that if he didn't intervene, Patrick would break down into tears. He had seen in too many times already in the past few days. "I'll stay with him," He told the distraught father. "You go get some rest."

"I can't leave…"

"I'll stay with him until you come back," Mr. Amarfi added quickly, knowing what he would say. "Please Patrick, hurting yourself will not help your son… we've been through this."

Patrick took one last look at Athrun before rising to his feet and making room for Mr. Amarfi to sit by Athrun's bedside. "Promise?" His voice hiccupped as the question escaped his parted lips.

"I promise," Mr. Amarfi assured him and watched as Patrick reluctantly left and headed to the main floor. He was too tired to argue and was desperate for an escape from the conscious world he'd been living in for the past week.

Mr. Amarfi hesitated for a moment before turning his attention back to the broken boy lying before him. For a brief instant, he wondered if Athrun even knew who he was. He searched those deep orbs hoping to find some sort of indication that his spirit hadn't been completely shattered and was disappointed to find only the skeleton of a boy who had once been so full of life. He continued to look up at Mr. Amarfi, until he finally turned his head to the left and let out an airy sigh. Mr. Amarfi, much to his shame, was afraid to touch him in fear that he would break under his touch.

He stayed by his bedside as promised; close enough to be of comfort but not close enough to touch him. Pain spilled from every pore of Athrun's lithe body like a terrible disease or a sickness that had contaminated the very essence of his being.

"She's crying." he whispered softly, his pale lips barely opening enough to under the faint sounds.

"Who?" Mr. Amarfi asked carefully. The boy hadn't spoken since the surgery and he hadn't really been aware of what he had been saying. Why was he talking now? To him no less - Why not Patrick? The man yearned to hear his son's voice yet Athrun had said nothing… until now. "Who's crying Athrun?"

"Listen."

Mr. Amarfi did as Athrun asked, despite not knowing what he should expect to hear. Athrun's shallow breathing could barely be heard over the rain as Mother Nature drummed her fingers on the roof. It was a steady tapping but he failed to understand what he should have been hearing. "I can't hear it," He admitted. "I'm sorry."

Athrun's eyes had moved to the window which had long since fogged up due to the storm. Mr. Amarfi followed them; an uneasiness sinking into his stomach. He wished he'd known what to say to him but he didn't. He could have told him that things would be ok, that he didn't need to be afraid though what purpose would that serve? The boy had almost died and was in insurmountable pain. To express false assurances would only demonstrate his ignorance. Suddenly he wished he hadn't sent Patrick away. He was the boys' father – surely he would know how to deal with him.

"Cagalli is crying," Athrun mumbled and blinked slowly. "Tears are falling."

Mr. Amarfi hesitated, unsure what to say so he decided it best to remain silence. The man simply figured the boy was disoriented and had yet to remain his senses. Those were the last words that Athrun Zala spoke. Eventually, the boy succumbed to an awkward sleep and when he awoke, his world had changed. Nothing would ever again be as it had once been.

**MWMWMWMMWMWMWMWM**

For six long months, Athrun was bedridden. Having broken both of his legs, the boy really couldn't move much nor did he appear to want to regardless of Patrick's efforts to cheer him up. Nothing seemed to get through to him and even when the splints came off and Athrun could move around again, he restricted himself to the small room that had become his world. Always subdued and downcast, Athrun hadn't spoken a word to anyone.

It had come to the point that Patrick was truly concerned that his boy had forgotten how to speak altogether. Athrun didn't eat unless asked to nor did he move unless told to. Not once had he cried or shed tears over what had happened to him which also worried Patrick. He wasn't sure if the boy had really come to terms with everything that had happened. Both he and Mr. Amarfi had spoken with Athrun's doctor but he was of little help. The only conclusion the doctor could come up with was that Athrun had withdrawn into himself to deal with the trauma he had endured and only time could cure his ailment.

Though still incredibly weak, Athrun's physical injuries were all but healed while the scars he bore within were still very deep and bleeding. When Patrick would come home, it wasn't uncommon to find Athrun just lying on the bed, his unfocused eyes gazing emptily through the window as he fiddled with the bandage that was still wrapped around his left hand. It was the only visual reminder that the disaster had occurred. Athrun usually would glance over at Patrick as he entered the room before returning his attention back to the window.

Patrick had tried to talk to Athrun but it had been so long since the boy had uttered a single word that he wasn't sure what to talk to him about. Athrun's friends had wanted to see him but Athrun had silently indicated he had no desire to talk to anyone. Even the people of the PLANTS were becoming concerned for the boy's well-being. Nobody blamed Patrick of course but the news of Athrun's impassive behavior spread quickly, as did the immense empathy that everyone seemed to feel towards the youth and the Chairman himself.

Rumors soon began to spread that put into question the boys' sanity; much to Patrick's disgust. Some believed that Athrun was no longer in his right mind which was why he'd gone mute. Others believed that Athrun had simply been traumatized to the point of no return. Patrick denied all speculations but he couldn't help but wonder if Athrun really had gone mad.

Patrick tried taking Athrun downtown which had proven to be a mistake in itself. He had gone to get some supplies from the grocery store and had brought his son with him to get him out of the house. When the kind lady at the cash register offered Athrun a free coupon, he simply stared at her. The look on his face would be forever engraved in Patrick's memory. That indifferent gaze that Athrun seemed to always wear on his face met the eyes of poor woman. He didn't make any sort of motion towards her rather he just stared at her and the offering she held before him.

When asked if Athrun had understood what she was saying, Patrick only nodded. Resolutely, he took his son's hand in his own and left the store after paying for what he had needed. As usual, Athrun just sat beside him in the car quietly, staring off into the distance.

Another incident not too long afterwards also clawed at the back of Patrick's mind regarding the mental state of his son. Patrick had tried to take Athrun fishing in hopes to get him to open up. Instead, he found that all Athrun seemed interested in doing was sitting by the riverside, poking his finger into the water and watching the ripples spread across to the other side of the stream. His vacant eyes just stared down into the water at the empty shell of what had once been a vibrant young man. Almost mechanically, he continued to dip his finger into the cold water and watch, mesmerized by the way the ripples erupted and extended across the still water. Patrick would watch his son, wondering if he could see things that Patrick simply could not. Perhaps Athrun really was too far gone to be saved.

Patrick desperately wanted Athrun to turn back into the happy youth he had known before he had sent him to Lunar Prep but that didn't seem to be happening any time soon. He wished Athrun would cry or at the very least give some sort of indication that there was still some life in him. That his soul hadn't been shattered beyond repair on that fateful day.

As the days grew longer though, Patrick's own resolve was starting to wane and he found himself yearning for escape. The time he spent with Athrun decreased and Patrick often discovered his son preferred roaming about the hours on his own than with him. It was just as well for Patrick was growing weary of Athrun's detached nature.

Many a times, he had found himself gazing hungrily into space. He felt torn; part of him wanting to acknowledge his desire to get away while the other part of him continued to remind him that he couldn't abandon his only son. Athrun, however, seemed almost nonexistent.

One night, after putting Athrun to bed, Patrick found he was unable to sleep and decided to sit by the fire in the main room. Resting his head in his hands, he perched himself by the fire and gazed sorrowfully into the burning embers. He didn't know how to deal with Athrun. He didn't know the right things to say and was frightened by his aloof behavior. If only the boy's mother was still with them… she would have known what to do.

"Patrick?"

"Hmm?" He looked up to see Mr. Amarfi staring down at him.

"You're thinking of leaving, aren't you?" Mr. Amarfi observed as he sat down beside him and handed him a cup of coffee.

"How did you know?" Patrick asked, taken back by his friend's impressive intuition.

Mr. Amarfi just shrugged before shifting. "How do you think Athrun would feel if he found out you were also thinking of leaving him?"

"Athrun?" Patrick chuckled bitterly and shook his head as he averted his gaze. "I don't think he feels much of anything anymore."

"That's no reason to abandon him is it?"

"Of course not!" Patrick snapped angrily. "It's just… I want to forget everything that has happened. I don't understand what's happening to Athrun… I've tried… I just am so tired of looking at him. Every time he looks up at me with those cold and detached eyes of his, I don't know what to do or say or anything!"

Patrick sighed and turned his gaze back to Mr. Amarfi "I know I can't leave him behind. I just …"

"It's okay," Mr. Amarfi soothed as he put a hand on Patrick's shoulder. "I know this is hard for you. Nobody can really understand what Athrun is going through. Right now it's important that we be there for him when he does decide to open up and… he will eventually."

Patrick nodded dejectedly. "I hope so. I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Mr. Amarfi simply smiled and firmed his grip on Patrick's shoulder. Neither one of them was aware of the pair of emerald eyes looming over the railing that overlooked the fireplace. Neither one of them aware of the young figure who pushed himself away from the banister and made his way back to bed, possibly even more miserable than he had been before.

**WMWMWMMWMWMWMMWM**

After having heard his father's words, Athrun went about as though he had heard nothing. Deliberately staying in bed until he was sure that both Patrick and Mr. Amarfi had left for work, Athrun went about as he had been for the last few months. For most of the day, he simply roamed around the house. Having wandered about for over 2 months, he had discovered an old oak tree that lingered over the shallow creak that identified the border of the Zala manor.

That day, he had sought out his new favorite retreat from the world. The sun was going down, the northern winds playfully pulling at the leaves on the tree above him. There wasn't a soul for miles and somehow, he felt more at peace there than he had in ages.

Running his fingers across the rough bark, he reveled in it's every curve. His Father had once told him that a tree bared proof to the passage of time and he could only imagine the secrets that this tree held, the things it must have seen. He pulled myself up onto the lowest branch and balanced himself while swinging his legs absently back and forth. Did the memories of the oak tree fade and contort with time as his were? Or were they immortalized in every ring that buried itself within its trunk?

Suddenly, Athrun wished he could be like the tree. He tried so hard to keep his memories untainted yet as the days past, he found their substance fading; replaced with his own creation of what he thought to be rather than what was. Athrun was loosing Cagalli… though he tried so hard, he was loosing her. His memory was slipping away.

Athrun looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was starting its noble descent. Soon, he would have to leave. Leaning against the trunk of the tree, Athrun pulled off a piece of its bark and fiddled with it as the winds seemed to pick up; causing him to shiver. It was going to be a cold night.

Deep down, he dreaded going back home. Back to his father. Patrick would try to comfort him though his futile attempts only proved his inability to understand what he was going through. Athrun sighed. How could he expect him to help him when even he didn't know how to help himself?

He felt so detached from everything around him. It was as if suddenly, nothing mattered. Athrun saw things in a way he never had before; in a way that he was certain eluded his father. Instead of people, Athrun saw objects. Mindless mechanical machines that played out the predetermined script to each day. Where Athrun had once found happiness, he found emptiness. How could he go on pretending nothing had happened? Sometimes, things seemed almost surreal and when he played back the events in his mind, Athrun found each time the film had been altered. Nothing was real… nothing but the present and he had found himself estranged from it. And so was his dilemma.

Athrun's life was spiraling out of control and he so desperately wanted to just scream for everything to stop. He saw the way people looked at him, a mix of pity and suspicion. Mostly pity. They didn't reach him…. Nothing could reach him. Besides, in a few minutes, all that had happened would be gone. Erased from the face of the earth just as the accident and just as his relationship with Cagalli had been. Athrun couldn't hold onto a distorted memory but he couldn't move on either. Thus he was frozen, suspended in a state of paralysis while time continued to push forward without him.

Athrun closed his eyes and breathed in slowly, feeling much older than his years. Young men his age shouldn't feel this way. It wasn't right. Yet, the feelings refused to go away. Looking up into space where his father yearned to be, Athrun shuddered. He knew he was hurting his father but the feelings inside of him had all but devoured him and had left him raw and empty.

He remained in the tree for about another hour before deciding it was time to head for home. The winds carried him as he slowly lumbered home. Had Cagalli's eyes been blue? Brown? Or perhaps they were green like his own. His mind told him they were brown but he no longer trusted it. Like a puzzle missing pieces, his mind simply filled in the blanks of the images in his mind with falsehoods and he hated himself for it.

Why hadn't she written him? He remembered giving someone his address. He had even heard her voice… or so he had thought. Though she had tried, Cagalli hadn't been able to give him her address. They both knew that electronic messages were simply too risky and since letters were almost a thing of the past, they had both felt it to be the best way of staying in contact without anyone noticing. Aside from that, all electronic messages that reached the Zala home were cleared by his father while traditional mail was not… or so Athrun had thought.

Had she forgotten him? Perhaps he meant nothing to her after all? The more he thought about it, the more distraught he became. He couldn't talk to his father about it. He hated the Athha family. That much he had made very clear.

As Athrun slipped into the main room of the house, he began the seemingly long journey up to his room. Despite not having done much that day, he felt strangely fatigued. Trudging up the stairs, his eyes drifted casually to his father's room where the door just happened to be wide upon.

A slight frown creased his features as he noticed a pile of open envelopes lying by the side of his father's bedside in an uncovered box. Being raised to file and keep everything orderly, it seemed strange to Athrun that his father would just leave previously read letters lying about.

Bending down, he picked one up and checked the address. His expression hardened even more when he noticed the letters had been addressed to him. When he read the mailing address, his heart stopped – Cagalli. It was from the moon. Quickly he sorted through them, trying to put them in order. She hadn't forgotten about him. She'd been writing him almost every week! Why hadn't his father told him?

_I think I know the answer to that one,_ Athrun thought bitterly as his eyes ran over the letter that dated back the farthest… just a week after his accident.

_Dear Athrun,_

_I know you will tell me not to, but I can't help but blame myself for all of this. I never thanked you for what you did for me. I wanted to tell you how sorry I am – for everything. I was selfish. I should have never forced you to go to that party with me to meet my father. I should have known it would turn out badly yet I refused to believe it. _

_I am sorry and even if you never want to see me again, please, I need to know that you are okay. Please, write me. I must know. I miss you. You are a very special person to me and you always will be._

_-Cagalli_

Athrun's fingers trembled as he read her words. Snatching up another letter, he read it as well. Then another and another. They all were the same. She was begging him to let her know that he was ok.

For a moment, his chest constricted and Athrun was almost certain that he couldn't breathe. He felt as if someone had just punched him in the stomach and had refused to ease off and let him take in air. All this time, he had believed she had forgotten about him. That she no longer cared. Though he hated the idea, he had even at times felt that he never truly even loved him. It had all been out of… out of what? Sympathy? Empathy? Pity for the 'pathetic' son of Patrick Zala?

For months now he had believed this. The initial shock melted away and was soon replaced with relief. That, however, quickly turned into anger. Anger at his father. He had had no right to keep this from him. No right at all!

"Athrun!"

That voice burned his ears as Athrun cast a glance over his shoulder to see his father standing in the doorway. With his arms crossed, the man glared down at him in disapproval. Athrun's eyes followed Patrick's and he noticed a glint of recognition flash across his father's face at the sight of the letters. It only fueled the young man's already rising anger and frustration.

"Athrun," Patrick's voice was sharp and stern. "I want you to put those away and get out of my room- this instant!"

Athrun didn't budge. His expression hardened as he slowly rose to his feet. "Why?" He demanded coldly. "Why did you do this?"

For the briefest of moments, Patrick was caught off guard. It had been a long time since Athrun had actually spoken to him. He had always figured though that when Athrun did finally decide to open up, his words would contain a little more warmth. These words were frigid and as cold as ice.

"I don't have to explain myself to you," He replied. "I did what I had to do. That is all I want to say on the matter."

"All you want to say?" Athrun felt the blood rushing to his cheeks. "I want to know why you've been screening my mail!"

"I was protecting you!"

"You had no right!" Athrun shot back angrily. "You had no right to do this! To let me believe she didn't care! To make it seem like I didn't have enough courtesy to answer her letters!"

"It's because of her that you almost lost your life!" Patrick shouted. "Because of that stupid girl, I almost lost my only child! I know you, Athrun. You are naïve and trusting. You care about people even if they hurt you and I'll be damned if I just sit back and what my son destroy himself because he's too blind to see the truth!"

"Truth?" Athrun raged. "What truth?! Cagalli didn't do anything! She didn't force me off that cliff! You lied to me! She…"

"I don't want you having anything to do with her!" Patrick roared. "Nothing! Do you know what I have been through these last few months, Athrun? Do you!?"

"Father, I…"

"I thought you were going to die!" Patrick continued, ignoring the fact that Athrun's face had gone deathly pale. "The doctors thought you were going to die! You probably would be dead if I hadn't brought you back to the PLANTS. Back to your home! And this, _this_ is how you repay me? By going mute for 6 months and then shouting at your own father for wanting to protect you from the source of your pain in the first place?! Think about it, Athrun. You are not the only victim in this!"

"That still doesn't justify what you did," Athrun tried to keep his emotions from getting the better of him. He had never imagined that his father had been suffering as well. "If someone wants to speak to me, I should have the right to know."

"Don't start with me, young man," Patrick warned. "My patience is already warring thin."

Athrun clinched his fists at his sides, crumpling up the paper in his hand. Furious, he made a move towards the door to leave but his father caught him by the shoulder and held on. Athrun grimaced as he felt the pressure intensify on his left shoulder and looked up in surprise.

"I will not allow you to be put in that situation again."

"Father," Athrun shook his head, willfully. "I am not a child. I don't need you protecting me the way you did when I was five."

"I let you go to that school," Patrick pointed out. "And looked what happened?"

The words had escaped before Patrick even realized it. Athrun's eyes widened with hurt and before Patrick could make any other motions towards his son, Athrun had pulled away and stormed off to his room.

"Damn," Patrick cursed. "Damn it, Athrun."

**WMWMMWMWMWMMWMWMMW**

When Athrun reached his bedroom, he collapsed onto his bed, his breathing labored as he fought to calm himself. His father had no right to keep Cagalli's letters from him. Regardless of what his intentions had been, it had been wrong. Lethargically, Athrun brought up the hand holding the crumpled letter to his face and skimmed it over. Resting on his elbows, Athrun's eyes darted to the doorway of his bedroom and then back down to the letter.

He felt betrayed. His own father had lied to him. Open lies of deceit during his illness and lies of omission afterwards. Athrun closed his eyes, suddenly feeling fatigued. He didn't even want to think about what Cagalli must have been feeling.

After a moment, he got up and moved over to his desk. Sitting down, he picked up a pen and piece of blank paper. Setting the ink tip on the grainy surface, he hesitated for an instant. Taking a deep breath, he forced his hand to move the pen tip across the paper as he scribbled down Cagalli's address.

What did one say to someone they hadn't spoken to for almost 7 months? He honestly didn't know. Should he talk about his feelings? The operation? The horrible rehab he had been through? The fight he had had with his father? The weather?

With a sigh, Athrun started to write what would be the first of many letters of correspondence.

_Dear Cagalli,_

_It's been a little cloudy here in the PLANTS. Next week, though, I hear it is supposed to be a little warmer. I guess I owe you a great deal of answers. I don't even know where to begin but I you deserve to an answer to the questions in your letters. I'll do my best to comply…_

**TBC**

_Sorry about there being no Cagalli. She will be back. This chapter was really hard to write so I appreciate your patience. Cagalli will reappear in the next chapter. I have had people read my mail before so I thought it would be interesting to include. Do you think Patrick was in the right? Please review and let me know what you would like to happen ok? _

_I've got ideas but I am wrestling with the ending. I honestly can't see Cagalli and Athrun being able to work around all their obstacles – can you? Again, please review. It means a lot._

_Until next time,_

_Krilyn_


	16. Divided by Time, ReUnited by Love

_Hi Everyone!_

_Sorry about the delay! I had a horrible time coming up with an ending for this story. I may write an epilogue to it but other than that, I would say that I have pretty well finished it. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped me with this story. I loved writing it and I am so happy that I could share my crazy story with all of you._

_Once again, please review and let me know what you think ok? I hope I don't disappoint any of you._

**Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed or any other references to the series.**

**Affronted Affections**

**Chapter #16: Divided by Time, Re-united by Love**

Indeed, Cagalli hadn't forgotten about Athrun. After their abrupt parting, Cagalli had returned heart-broken to Orb with her father. Word of Athrun's daring endeavors had spread quickly but without his presence the entire situation had become nothing more than a topic of passing conversation.

"_Did you hear about the crazy kid that jumped off a cliff to save Uzumi's daughter? I heard it was Zala's boy… can you imagine that?"_

Cagalli had heard it so many times she sometimes wanted to scream. The way people spoke about it, it was as if none of it really mattered. They were so detached from the reality of the situation that she sometimes just wanted to turn around and shout, "_His name was ATHRUN, you stupid morons!"_

School had finished and most of her friends had returned home, back to the PLANTS. Lacus and Kira had both found summer jobs working with the Nutrition for the Needy support group in the PLANTS while Miriellia was now working full time at the local pharmacy. This left Cagalli spending her days alone with only her sorrowful thoughts as company. She had tried to continue in her studies over the summer but her drive was gone. It was as if someone had sucked the motivation to do anything right out of her.

She wondered about Athrun - About his health and well-being. She wondered why he never wrote her and if her letters had reached him. Was he angry with her? She couldn't blame him if he was. After having known him for the short time she had, she had found fulfillment and sincere happiness. Now, she missed it dearly.

Sitting at the kitchen table in her home, Cagalli caressed the cheek of the toy dog Athrun had given her delicately. She wondered what would happen if she called him. Looking around the room, she sighed and lowered her head, letting her hair fall into her eyes. She yearned to listen to his thoughtful chatter and she missed hearing the slurping sounds he made when he ate. She also missed the sound of his breathing late at night as he stayed up reading books or studying. Yet, she was reluctant to call him. It wouldn't be the same.

"Hi Cagalli," Uzumi smiled as he peeked out from behind the door and then scurried in. "Another day done."

Cagalli nodded and stood as her father moved to the table where she had been sitting. "Good evening," She muttered, clutching at Kaori tightly.

"Have you been in here all day… again?" Uzumi asked and Cagalli flinched under his watchful gaze.

Cagalli flushed and her shoulders slumped. "Yes." Then she raised her eyes to meet those of her father. Taking a deep breath, from her lips escaped the same question she had asked everyday since that fateful day seven months ago. "Did anything come in the mail?"

Uzumi bit his lip as his eyes moved down to the bundle of envelopes he held underneath his arm. "Cagalli, this isn't healthy," He stated firmly. "If anything had happened to Athrun we would have heard about it by now. I'm sure he is fine. You need to stop worrying about him and start worrying about yourself. You should not put your life on hold on account of him."

"He saved my life!" Cagalli shot back hotly. "My life wouldn't be on hold, Father, it would be _over_ if it hadn't been for him. Athrun could be crippled, paralyzed, in a wheel chair, permanently disabled … doesn't that matter to you?"

"I am not trying to downplay the extent of his actions and what his actions may have cost him," Uzumi chose his words carefully. "I'm just concerned. What if you never see that boy again, Cagalli? Are you planning to spend the rest of your life isolating yourself and drowning yourself in guilt?"

"Something is obviously wrong. Athrun would have written back. He wouldn't just leave me wondering like this."

"Perhaps he gave us the wrong address," Uzumi sighed. "I doubt whether he had all his wits about him when he wrote the address he gave you."

All Cagalli could do was shake her head. "Why is everything so hard?" She asked weakly.

Uzumi frowned. "What?"

"Athrun and I cared about one another," Cagalli explained softly. "He loved me and I loved him. It shouldn't have been so complicated. Yet the more I tried, the worse, it seems, I hurt him. So what if he was a Coordinator? So what if his father was the Chairman? So what if I am the daughter of Orb's leader? Why should any of that have mattered?"

"In a perfect world," Uzumi placed that day's mail on the table and took a seat next to his daughter. Gently he put a hand on her trembling shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "In a perfect world, none of that should have mattered. Unfortunately, Cagalli, this world is far from being perfect. I was in the wrong when I judged Athrun, as were many others."

"He went through hell," Cagalli muttered bitterly. "And what is worse, is that none of this will ever change. Meer didn't get punished, my principal won't be expelled from her position for her actions and all those kids who laughed at him then, will probably still laugh at him now."

Uzumi glanced down at the stack of papers on the table, unsure what to say. There were so many young men who he had imagined catching his daughter's eye. Why of all people, had it had to be Athrun Zala? Casually, he began to rummage through his mail. His fingers stopped suddenly when he noticed a warn envelope with a PLANTS stamp on it. He frowned as he looked at the sending address and almost instantly his entire body froze.

He had a choice.

Looking down at his daughter, he honestly considered discarding the letter. Time was the only thing that could now mend her shattered heart. Would giving her this only cause her more pain? It would be better if she forgot about the boy from the PLANTS, would it not? Even if he had come to accept Athrun, Athrun's father would cause nothing but grief for his daughter, would he not? Did he really want to put Cagalli through that?

Yet, the other half of his conscience told him that it was, in the end, Cagalli's choice. Who was he to tell her what was right and wrong for her? It had been his own actions, after all, that had ultimately torn the couple apart. Perhaps if he hadn't been so rash and quick to judge he could have prevented all the pain his daughter was now feelings. His behavior had almost resulted in Cagalli's death had it not been for the young man he had found so easy to distrust.

He was her father. His role was to support her with whatever she decided to do – it was not to chose how she should live her life.

"Cagalli," He barely managed to say her name. "This came for you."

Her eyes widened as Uzumi handed her the letter. It was from the PLANTS… it was from Athrun! For a second, she was afraid to open it and afraid of what it held. Gradually, she forced herself to open the seal, unfold the letter and read it.

_Dear Cagalli,_

_It's been a little cloudy here in the PLANTS. Next week, though, I hear it is supposed to be a little warmer. I guess I owe you a great deal of answers. I don't even know where to begin but I you deserve to an answer to the questions in your letters. I'll do my best to comply._

_I know you blame yourself for what happened and I want you to know that none of this was your fault. We had made decisions and none of those decisions were with the intention of the results that emerged from them. I won't be playing basketball for a long time but I'm mending a little bit more every day. I never received any of your letters until moments ago. I hope you can forgive me for the delay and I promise that I will do all I can to answer any of your letters in the future with a swift reply. _

_I guess I don't really have to tell you that I won't be going back to school on Earth come the fall. My father has enrolled me in an academic institution up here, in the PLANTS. I will miss you but I will always hold the time we shared together very dear. I hope that we can maintain communication through the means of letters. In my life, I've had very few people that I could consider true friends. You were, and still are, very special to me, Cagalli, and I want you to know that nothing could or will ever change that._

_I've never been good with words but I hope that this letter reaches you. Please forward your letters to this address: 24 Destinview Av. BOX 24 N5L W9I._

_Thinking only of you,_

_Athrun._

Uzumi watched his daughter intently as she read Athrun's letter. Her eyes lit up as she rose from her chair and hurried to her room. She didn't recognize the new address but at that point, she didn't really care.

"Cagalli?" He called and smiled when he saw the life that had returned to her sparkling auburn eyes. "Good news?"

"He's doing fine," Cagalli called over her shoulder as she dashed into her room. Anxiously, she pulled a piece of lined paper from a binder and snatched up a pen. She had so much to write about. She had so much to tell him!

Flopping onto her bed, Cagalli couldn't help but feel a chill wash over her. She felt like she was living a soap opera where she and Athrun were star-crossed lovers separated by hundreds of miles with only their love to hold them together. She giggled to herself at the silliness of it all. Although she hadn't seen in him for ages, she felt as though she had met him for the first time all over again. Everything seemed so fresh and so beautiful.

Steadily, she placed her pen down on the paper and began to write.

_Dear Athrun…_

For three years that was how it was. The two would correspond and exchange the news and events of their lives via pen and paper. Unfortunately, the renewed freshness of their relationship gradually faded away and the duration of time between letters grew. Both of them became busy with their lives they no longer shared, with the exception of what was written in their letters.

Days of waiting for the mailman to come eventually became a casual glance in the mailbox which eventually became her father having to call her whenever a letter for her arrived. It wasn't that she still didn't care a great deal about Athrun. It was just that as time had progressed, she had found other aspects of her life competing for her time.

Last Cagalli had heard, Athrun was finishing up his undergraduate degree in the PLANTS somewhere. He had been studying mechanical engineering, which Cagalli knew suited him well. Athrun had also mentioned having moved out of his home and closer to his place of study. Cagalli supposed that made sense. Athrun had lived a very unstable life due to the nature of his father's work and it was probably nice for him to enjoy a little more constancy and stability in the way he lived.

As for herself, Cagalli had completed her studies in political science and was starting her specialization in the analysis of international affairs. It was a subject that had always interested her. In a way, she almost blamed Athrun for that. After having seen what he had been put through had made her realize how much the political scene on both earth and in space affected the individual.

Although her father had been reluctant at first, he had given in and allowed her to study at the PLANTS International School of Foreign Affairs. It was a school famous for it's political programs and Uzumi had wanted nothing but the best for his daughter. More importantly, he had now realized that he wanted her to be happy.

"Good morning, Cagalli," Lacus smiled as she caught sight of the young woman casually walking down the hall towards the departmental lounge. She smiled sadly when she noticed that Cagalli's coat and long, blonde hair were damp and her jeans were drenched. "Did you get caught in the rain?"

"It's a long walk even from the parking lot," Cagalli admitted as she re-adjusted the grip on her backpack. In many ways she was grateful that Lacus had also signed away a year of her life to the same school as her. It was always easier adapting to a new area when you had a friend with you. "And the weather has been awful as of late."

Her friend's smile widened and a mischievous twinkle flashed in her blue eyes. "It's the calm after the storm." She giggled and Cagalli knew exactly what she meant and indeed she was right.

About six weeks ago a student named Sai had attempted to court Cagalli. It had all started when they were assigned to work together in class. Afterwards, Sai had insisted they go out for dinner. Cagalli, not wanting to be rude, had agreed to do so but since then, Sai had continued to great lengths to please her.

Despite it having been almost four years since she had seen Athrun, she hadn't dated anyone since. Somehow, nobody had been able to stir the feeling within her the way Athrun had. Although she and Athrun had grown apart over the years, she somehow just could not bring herself to let go.

"That's not funny Lacus," Cagalli told her but smiled just the same. Lacus and her were tutors for the political science department and had agreed to meet up that day to go over their class outlines.

"I'm sorry," Lacus sighed. "But it was pretty romantic when he brought you flowers yesterday. I wish Kira would do that for me."

Cagalli nodded and leaned against the wall. "Oh come on Lacus, you know that Kira thinks the world of you."

"I know," Lacus smiled and glanced down at the ring on her finger. "It's hard to imagine that in four months, I will be Mrs. Yamato. I know he's busy getting things ready for the wedding but I still would like some flowers too every now and then."

"You could always drop him a hint," Cagalli suggested. "Besides, it was Kira who arranged for your coffee to be brought to the department every morning at 8am was it not?"

"Oh sure," Lacus laughed and rolled her eyes playfully. "Men bring you flowers and chocolate and all I get is coffee. What is going to happen when I get married?"

Cagalli resisted the urge to burst out laughing with some sort of sarcastic remark. "At least you have found someone."

Lacus' ears picked up on the mild hint of sadness in Cagalli's tone. "So did you," Lacus pointed out. "All those years ago – remember?"

"In a perfect world, maybe," Cagalli sighed as she began to organize her notes in a futile attempt to look busy. "But in reality, I don't think it would have ever worked out."

"Why not? You loved him, didn't you?"

"Of course I did," Cagalli couldn't believe Lacus would even ask such a thing. "Unfortunately, I just don't think that was enough."

"Oh?"

"The relationship we had was met with nothing but obstacles from both my father and his," Cagalli explained. "Our being together would not bring happiness to anyone."

"Not even you?"

Cagalli turned to look at her friend questionably. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh nothing," Lacus hummed as she sat up and moved alongside Cagalli to help her arrange their class notes, that were now sprawled across the desk in the study lounge. "It's just that I don't really believe you."

"And what do you mean by that?"

"You haven't so much as looked at another guy since Athrun… um…left." Lacus pointed out and smiled. "I think that deep down, you are still hoping to find a way to make things work out."

"Perhaps I just haven't met another guy that I've been interested enough in to go out with." Cagalli challenged.

"Or perhaps none of them can compare with what you felt for Athrun." Lacus was quick to reply. "When is the last time you spoke with him?"

"About two months ago," Cagalli answered honestly. She felt a pang of guilt as she realized that it was in fact her turn to write him. "He finished school and was looking to get some into some sort of research. I don't really remember what he was doing."

Lacus nodded understandingly. "Long-distance relationships are hard."

"I suppose," Cagalli mumbled. Deep down, however, she was wondering if she could really call what she and Athrun had a relationship at all anymore. She couldn't let go. Her evening with Sai, for whatever reason, had felt like a betrayal to his memory though she couldn't understand why. Perhaps she should let him go. Accept that it could never work out and move on.

She knew that she should but also knew that she couldn't.

After a moment of silence, Cagalli decided she needed to escape the tense atmosphere. "I'm going to run to the library for a minute. I want to get some good quotes for my presentation."

She didn't wait for Lacus to respond rather she simply bolted for the door. Lacus was her friend but even with her, Cagalli found it difficult to talk about Athrun. She missed him. Four years ago, even if it had only been for a short time, she had felt complete. With him by her side she had felt as though she could have done anything.

As she sprinted across campus, she hardly noticed the rain as it poured down upon her. The library was not far from the Social Science building and soon Cagalli was rushing through the entrance doors, seeking shelter from the storm. It was all but abandoned and glancing down at her watch, she knew why. Very few were inspired to study at 8:15 in the morning. Only those that would spend the night in the library…

Damn it!

Cagalli shook her head. She had to get him out of her mind! Why was it so hard!? She paused to cast one last look out through the glass panels of the library doors. In many ways she envied Lacus. Lacus had Kira. The two were to be wed and they were happy together. She wasn't happy. Of course, she had busied herself with school but nothing had ever been able to fill the hole in her heart that Athrun had left.

Slowly, she trudged up the stairs and into the aisles that were lined with shelves of books. Books on anything that one could possibly want to know. The PLANTS International Library was the source of study materials for both the School of Foreign Affairs and the Institution of Technological Design a few blocks down the road. It was both impressive and intimidating at the same time.

"I guess I may as well start at the beginning," She muttered and started rummaging through the endless supply of books. As she did so, she heard soft footsteps coming from her left. She glanced sideways and frowned when she saw a flash of blue. Arching her back, she spotted a slender, well-dressed young man carrying a briefcase in the next aisle.

Her first thought was to ignore him, however, as she diverted her attention back to the book in her hand, she heard a soft, strained groan. Closing her book, she gently placed it back on the shelf and moved to the next aisle where the young man had disappeared.

She found him in the aisle categorized under "Mechanical alignment". He was standing on a small and wobbly three-step-ladder, trying to reach one of the books on the high shelves. Cagalli couldn't help but smile at the sight. The young man was very handsome. He had dark blue hair that was shorter than Athrun's had been and wore a pair of glasses that made him look much older than she suspected he was. He resembled a small child trying to reach the chocolate candy boxes on the top shelf in the supermarket. There were only five inches between his seeking hand and the book, but the short distance was enough to prevent him from reaching the book. Cagalli found the sight adorable when he carefully tried to stand on his tiptoes and reach higher.

Suddenly, the ladder began swaying beneath his feet, stirring worry in Cagalli's heart.

"Here, let me help you." She said, gaining the stranger's attention. The boy immediately gasped and whirled around. His cheeks colored in red and a sheepish smile graced his lips.

"Thanks." He said quietly and carefully stepped down.

"No problem." Cagalli assured him, brushing past him, shoulder to shoulder, as she walked to the ladder.

The young man watched her as she climbed up, and he had to smirk when he realized that Cagalli also had to stand on her tiptoes in order to reach the book. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her, amused by the girl's long blonde ponytail swinging back and forth as Cagalli wiggled on the ladder.

"Damn, it's higher than I thought." Cagalli muttered, and then jumped up a little in order to snatch the book. She caught it quickly between her fingers, just before her descent. The ladder shook and waddled wildly when Cagalli landed on it. The boy's eyes widened.

"Hey- look out!" He called when the ladder finally tipped over. He wasted no time and launched towards Cagalli, trying to catch her.

They ended up crashing on the red carpet, Cagalli on top of the newcomer, pinning him down to the floor. Cagalli's legs were straddled over his. She placed two arms at either side of his body, and pushed herself up a bit so she could look down at his face.

They were both panting and a bit disoriented. Their faces were an inch apart, both their lips parted as they breathed heavily. Cagalli could feel his chest press against her as he breathed, the boy's arms trapped somewhere under her torso. She swallowed, somewhat embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay?" She asked, panting. It was then she noticed that the fall had knocked the boy's glasses off and she could now get a good look at his eyes. They were green, green like the finest emeralds ever lifted from the earth. "I… Athrun?"

He nodded slowly, still in shock.

He couldn't tear his eyes off Cagalli's lips, the way they were carved like some grand statue. Cagalli's hair was a bit tousled by their fall, long blonde bangs hiding her face, moving up and down as Cagalli panted. Athrun smiled warmly, his body filling with a familiar warmth. He locked his gaze with Cagalli's, his green eyes looking deeply into the sandy pearls above him. He could feel Cagalli's hot breath caress his lips and his cheeks reddened. He slowly licked his dry lips, tracing his tongue slowly over his bottom lip. Cagalli swallowed hard, her wide eyes watching Athrun with great hesitation.

"C-Cagalli? You… how…"

There was tension in the air, thicker and heavier than ever before. Something in the air demanded that certain actions must be taken. Every sensation was enhanced by tenfold. The air sizzled and crackled like electricity. The sound of their heavy breathing overcame everything else. The feeling of their heartbeats, strong and wild, was nearly overwhelming.

She looked so much older. She had grown her hair out and he couldn't help but notice that she had developed a rather attractive figure.

Athrun could tell that Cagalli was feeling the same tension he felt; he could feel it in Cagalli's whole body. He could also see the uncertainty in Cagalli's eyes. Her fear reflected somewhere within the darker shades of her pupils. That dark night that had been responsible for so much of their pain and the guilt that followed reflected inside the shadowy center of Cagalli's eyes. Athrun remembered, and so did she. But unlike Athrun, she wasn't going to let it stop her.

As Cagalli stared into the shiny, bright green eyes, she suddenly felt completely revitalized. So many emotions ran through her body, urging her on. She wondered if his skin was still as smooth as it had been four years ago and whether his hair was just as soft. She mused about his lips and whether or not they would send currents of electricity through her body if she touched them with her own as they had in the past.

Athrun. Her Athrun had come back. He was here. Here with her! Suddenly, it didn't matter if they were on the floor of an abandoned aisle in the school library.

With a smile that spread gracefully on her lips, Cagalli lowered herself ever so slightly and pressed her lips to Athrun's. She swallowed the surprised gasp that escaped his lips and sealed the sweet mouth with her own. His eyes were still open, looking straight into Cagalli's eyes. It was the closest he'd been in what had seemed like an eternity to the ginger-colored jewels, and only now he could appreciate them for their true beauty.

Athrun's eyelashes slowly fluttered, until he closed his eyes. This was all the approval Cagalli needed, and she closed her eyes as well. The kiss deepened as Cagalli pressed closer to Athrun, taking charge of the kiss as she had so many times in the past.

She leaned heavily onto Athrun, her arms moving up to bury her fingers in Athrun's thick hair. Her tongue sneaked out to lick Athrun's bottom lip. She nibbled at the lush lip for a moment before Athrun opened his mouth and let her in. She dipped her tongue into the warm and moist mouth, her breath quickening in anticipation.

Beneath her, Athrun wiggled his hands from underneath Cagalli's body and brought them up. He embraced Cagalli tightly, letting her explore his mouth and lick every nook and cranny. His own tongue, shy and hesitant, joined the dance, and their kiss only intensified.

When they parted for air, they were both panting hard and blushing. Cagalli's cheeks were a bright red and so were Athrun's. She smiled down at the green-eyed boy, and leaned down to kiss his nose.

"How did you know I'd kiss you back?" Athrun asked softly, looking at Cagalli with kind and loving eyes.

Cagalli smiled, her eyes shining. "I took a gamble." She said, before she dove down for another kiss. The two rolled over on the red carpet, kissing passionately. Drowning in the intensity of the kiss, Cagalli realized why she had never been able to let go. Time had forced them to grow apart yet the love they shared had never withered.

When Cagalli finally let Athrun up, the two sat side by side on the floor, backs resting against a bookshelf for support. For a moment, neither of them knew what to say. Both were wondering whether they had acted too abruptly.

"What are you doing here?" Athrun finally managed to ask.

"I go to school here," Cagalli explained weakly and felt her face flush. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm working on a research project for one of the professors at the Tech. Institute down the road," Athrun answered truthfully as he fumbled around on the floor until he found his glasses. "I guess I forgot to mention that in my last letter."

Cagalli watched as he put them back on and tried to bury a small giggle. "You know, I didn't even recognize you with those on."

"Yes well," Athrun tossed her a playful grin. "You look different too."

"Athrun," Cagalli took a deep breath. "I was just so happy to see you, I'm sorry if I seemed forceful. Just now, I mean, I… it's been…I hope you don't think I'm some kind of… it's not really like that… you see, I…"

"Cagalli," Athrun interrupted her gently. "Do you see me complaining?"

Numbly, she shook her head.

"I enjoyed it," Athrun admitted to her. "I haven't been with anyone since…"

"Me neither." Cagalli allowed her body to lean against his as she rested her head on his shoulder. "But, what are we doing? We both know that this isn't a perfect world. How can we make this work? How can we make _us_ work?"

"Giving up before you even start will lead to a life of nothing but regret," Athrun replied and sighed. "To be honest, I haven't lived at home for about three years. My father and I don't really talk much anymore. He's been busy with his work and I've been preoccupied with school. My apartment is about a five minute walk from campus."

"Was it because of me?" Cagalli asked meekly. She remembered in the first letter she had received from Athrun how he had requested that she write to him using a different address.

"No," Athrun said firmly. "It was me. Things happened while I was recovering from, well, you know. Anyway, we never really got over it."

"So it is my fault."

"No, it isn't." Athrun insisted. "It's mine. What happened four years ago was the tip of something that goes much deeper. I know my father loves me and I love him but… I guess we both have come to realize that we need to live our own separate lives."

"Maybe," Cagalli held her breath all her hopes and dreams hanging on her next few words. "Maybe if we tried again, things would be different?"

"Maybe," Athrun nodded, his eyes never wavering. "Maybe not. I'm not going to pretend that I know what will happen in the future. I do know though that I never stopped caring about you."

"I never let go of what we had," Cagalli told him firmly and made a face when she saw Athrun smirk.

"Apparently not, judging by what just happened."

Playfully, she smacked him over the back of the head causing Athrun to jerk forward every so slightly. Though he looked a little different, he was still the same. A little taller and he kept his hair slightly differently yet his demeanor and all the reasons why she had loved him were still there.

"I love you, Athrun," She whispered. It was something that she had longed to say for so long.

"I love you too, Cagalli," Athrun told her as he reached over and pulled her into a tight embrace. He smiled warmly when he felt her wrap her arms around his torso. "And I missed you."

"Did you want to try again?" She asked and felt her heart catch in her throat when Athrun gently pulled back. She exhaled softly as he carefully brushed a few stray bangs from her eyes.

"I would like that," He replied and, for the first time that Cagalli could recall, Athrun was the one to lean in and catch her lips in a soul-searing kiss that spoke of a future of promise, hope, love and happiness for both of them.

**Owari.**

_I hope you enjoyed it. Initially, I wasn't going to end it with the two of them together. I actually wanted to end it with Athrun and Cagalli fading apart and Athrun meeting Meyrin in one of his classes. Unfortunately, I like the Athrun/Cagalli pairing and just couldn't bring myself to separate them. Besides, one thing I hope I was able to show was how Cagalli's father is now a little more open-minded… it's a sign that there is hope right?_

_I left parts of the story open in case I ever wanted to write a sequel but that won't be for a while. I do have so ideas though._

_Once again, thank you everyone for sticking with this story. It's been a wonderful experience. This is my first romance ever and I think I might write so more because I really enjoyed writing it!_

_Please review and let me know what you think ok? If you really do not like it, I will do my best to revise it._

_Take care,_

_Krilyn_


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